bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying indicators of early functional decline in community‐dwelling older people: A review
Authors: Beaton Kate , McEvoy Claire , Grimmer Karen
Published: October 2014

Functional decline is an insidious‐onset manifestation of aging, which can be overlooked in its early stages. Current screening measures for incipient functional decline are generally applied at one point‐in‐time, in hospital wards or emergency departments when older people are in health crisis. This potentially provides an imprecise estimate of the situation. In line with internationally recognized challenges of dealing with the needs of aging populations, it is essential that sensitive screening for incipient functional decline occurs much earlier, in familiar community settings. The present review presents an evidence‐based synthesis of features, measures and/or manifestations of early functional decline in community‐dwelling older individuals. A systematic search was carried out to collate indicators of early functional decline. These were then organized into constructs, which reflected the principal measurement intent as identified by the author of each article. A total of 146 articles (reporting 195 psychometrically sound measurement tools, representing 107 constructs) were included in the review. The constructs were then clustered into six broad health domains: medical status, performance capacity, participation, demographics, anthropometry and relationships with health providers. These domains were developed after consultation with a range of allied health professionals and a consumer representative. The present review provides the first known evidence‐based synthesis of indicators of early functional decline in older community‐dwelling people, and shows the range of constructs that need to be considered in assessment for early functional decline. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 133–140.
Innovative and Competitive Structure of Regional Economies in Turkey
Authors: Akpinar Rasim , Taşçi Kamil , Özsan Mehmet Emin
Published: October 2014

Regional development theories have experienced a transition from Keynesian state‐led economic development models to development based on public–private partnerships, innovation, industrial districts, etc. With the increasing concern for innovative milieu, products, process, organizational, and institutional innovations have assumed an important place in regional development policies. All these regional development paradigms have formed the basis of the initiation of a new process in regional development called the new regionalism, which includes cumulative efforts to revitalize local economic growth. In this paper, we identify technological levels of 26 NUTS 2‐level regions according to the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD)'s classification. Then, we develop an innovation and competitiveness index for Turkey by employing principal component analysis. In conclusion, we formulate some workable policy solutions and suggestions for regional economies in Turkey. According to the results, Istanbul is the most innovative and competitive region in Turkey. Ankara is becoming a regional knowledge cluster, thanks to its strong R&D infrastructure and highly qualified researchers.
Nightlife Girls: Envy, Theatre, and Encounters with Men and Women
Authors: Murray Jennifer May
Published: October 2014

This article explores how envy influences affective performance in the service industry. Utilizing the first‐person accounts of 12 women working in one Manhattan bar, it examines how the experiences these women have with male and female customers are differently intersected by expectations for gendered performance. It further explores how envy — as the emotion most prompted in the servers in the face of these expectations — can in response be harnessed as a force for their critical agency. Seeing envy as both an antagonizer and central defence mechanism, the paper goes on to dissect the various strategies employed by the serving women to both adopt the differing embodiments of affective gender performance expected by their male and female customers, and protect themselves from the emotional damage that is risked in adopting such externally dictated subjectivities.
The accuracy of a patient or parent‐administered bleeding assessment tool administered in a paediatric haematology clinic
Authors: Lang A. T. , Sturm M. S. , Koch T. , Walsh M. , Grooms L. P. , O'Brien S. H.
Published: October 2014

Classifying and describing bleeding symptoms is essential in the diagnosis and management of patients with mild bleeding disorders (MBDs). There has been increased interest in the use of bleeding assessment tools (BATs) to more objectively quantify the presence and severity of bleeding symptoms. To date, the administration of BATs has been performed almost exclusively by clinicians; the accuracy of a parent‐proxy BAT has not been studied. Our objective was to determine the accuracy of a parent‐administered BAT by measuring the level of agreement between parent and clinician responses to the Condensed MCMDM‐1VWD Bleeding Questionnaire. Our cross‐sectional study included children 0–21 years presenting to a haematology clinic for initial evaluation of a suspected MBD or follow‐up evaluation of a previously diagnosed MBD. The parent/caregiver completed a modified version of the BAT; the clinician separately completed the BAT through interview. The mean parent‐report bleeding score (BS) was 6.09 (range: −2 to 25); the mean clinician report BS was 4.54 (range: −1 to 17). The mean percentage of agreement across all bleeding symptoms was 78% (mean κ = 0.40; Gwet's AC1 = 0.74). Eighty percent of the population had an abnormal BS (defined as ≥2) when rated by parents and 76% had an abnormal score when rated by clinicians (86% agreement, κ = 0.59, Gwet's AC1 = 0.79). While parents tended to over‐report bleeding as compared to clinicians, overall, BSs were similar between groups. These results lend support for further study of a modified proxy‐report BAT as a clinical and research tool.
Expected survival with and without second‐line palliative chemotherapy: who wants to know?
Authors: Oostendorp Linda J.M. , Ottevanger Petronella B. , van de Wouw Agnes J. , Schoenaker Ivonne J.H. , de Graaf Hiltje , van der Graaf Winette T.A. , Stalmeier Peep F.M.
Published: October 2014

Background

According to surveys, many patients with advanced cancer wish to receive survival information.

Objective

This study investigated information preferences by offering patients a decision aid (DA) with information on expected survival for two treatment options: supportive care with or without second‐line palliative chemotherapy. Predictors of accepting survival information were explored.

Design

Eligible patients in this multicentre prospective study were offered second‐line chemotherapy for advanced breast or colorectal cancer. A nurse presented a DA on second‐line treatment and asked patients whether they desired information on (i) adverse events, (ii) tumour response and (iii) survival. Data on 50 clinical and psychosocial patient characteristics were collected from inclusion forms and patient questionnaires.

Results

Seventy‐seven patients received a DA; median age 62 years (range 32–80), 61% female, 77% colorectal cancer. Fifty‐seven patients (74%; 95% CI 64–84) desired survival information. Four psychosocial characteristics (e.g. deliberative decision style) independently predicted information desire. However, the use of these characteristics to predict information desire hardly outperformed a simple prediction rule.

Conclusions

Many patients desired information on expected survival when deciding about second‐line treatment. However, our exploratory analysis indicated that patients desiring this information could not be identified based on their clinical or psychosocial characteristics. These findings can help encourage candid discussions about expected survival. Health professionals should be careful not to make implicit assumptions of information desire based on patient characteristics, but to explicitly ask patients if survival information is desired, and act accordingly.
Reassurance as a key outcome valued by emergency ambulance service users: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Togher Fiona J. , O'Cathain Alicia , Phung Viet‐Hai , Turner Janette , Siriwardena Aloysius Niroshan
Published: October 2014

Background

There is an increasing need to assess the performance of emergency ambulance services using measures other than the time taken for an ambulance to arrive on scene. In line with government policy, patients and carers can help to shape new measures of ambulance service performance.

Objective

To investigate the aspects of emergency ambulance service care valued by users.

Design

Qualitative interview study.

Setting

One of 11 ambulance services in England.

Participants

Twenty‐two users and eight of their spouses (n = 30).

Results

Users of the emergency ambulance service, experiencing different types of ambulance service response, valued similar aspects of their pre‐hospital care. Users were often extremely anxious about their health, and the outcome they valued was reassurance provided by ambulance service staff that they were receiving appropriate advice, treatment and care. This sense of being reassured was enhanced by the professional behaviour of staff, which instilled confidence in their care; communication; a short wait for help; and continuity during transfers. A timely response was valued in terms of allaying anxiety quickly.

Discussion and conclusions

The ability of the emergency ambulance service to allay the high levels of fear and anxiety felt by users is crucial to the delivery of a high quality service. Measures developed to assess and monitor the performance of emergency ambulance services should include the proportion of users reporting feeling reassured by the response they obtained.
Psychological stress has the potential to cause a decline in the epidermal permeability barrier function of the horny layer
Authors: Fukuda S. , Baba S. , Akasaka T.
Published: October 2014

Synopsis

Objective

Psychological stress is known to have a negative effect on a large number of skin diseases. However, there is little research on the relationship between psychological stress and the epidermal permeability barrier function (EPBF) of healthy individuals. We hypothesize that psychological stress deteriorates EPBF and aimed to investigate this relationship.

Methods

Psychological stress was assessed using salivary alpha‐amylase (sAmy; KIU L−1), and chromogranin A level corrected with total protein (CgAP; pmol mg−1 protein) as psychological stress biomarkers. Measurements were obtained from 16 healthy female students during two periods of presumed higher stress (final examinations and returning from a long vacation), and a period considered as a control. The EPBF level was evaluated by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL; g m−2 h−1). The TEWL was measured three times: just before (TEWL [Intact]), immediately after (TEWL [Str]) and 4 h after (TEWL [4 h]) barrier disruption by tape stripping. The rate of barrier disruption was evaluated by comparing the difference between the TEWL [Intact] and the TEWL [Str] (delta‐BD: g m−2 h−1). The recovery was assessed by comparing the difference between the TEWL [Intact] and TEWL [4 h] (delta‐RE: g m−2 h−1).

Results

The subjects demonstrated a significant increase in the sAmy value after the long vacation compared with the control. There was no change in the CgAP value between the groups. Meanwhile, the EPBF level showed significant deterioration during both higher stress periods. There was a significant increase in delta‐BD and delta‐RE after the long vacation.

Conclusions

The results indicate the possibility that psychological stress causes a decline in EPBF and deterioration in barrier disruption and recovery. Furthermore, it implies a relationship between psychological stress and the exacerbation or protracted healing of skin disease.
Liberating Foundations of Art and Design
Authors: Lerner Fern
Published: October 2014

Research concerning the basic course known as Foundations of Art and Design strengthens the pedagogical approach for K‐16 art and design education. The version of Foundations introduced to America by Josef Albers, although hardly changed, is shown to have continued, timeless relevance. Next, a sequential, implicit logic is revealed in linking the literature of the originators’ old intentions for the course, reflections by their students, and directions taken by later colleagues (particularly design scientists and the theorists addressing the current paradigm combining aspects of art, design, mathematics and science education), revealing some limitless, possible new dimensions.

The first focus of this article points to the foundations course as a common denominator for the assimilation of complex new material through aesthetic play, paving the way for new cultural forms. A second theme begins to intertwine literature from many interdisciplinary fields, revealing a profound and deeply rooted pedagogical underpinning, accessible to art and design researchers and educators to aid with their move toward future transformation.
Seen, Unseen or Overlooked? How can Visual Perception Develop through a Multimodal Enquiry?
Authors: Payne Rachel
Published: October 2014

This article outlines an exploration into the development of visual perception through analysing the process of taking photographs of the mundane as small‐scale research. A preoccupation with social construction of the visual lies at the heart of the investigation by correlating the perceptive process to Mitchell's (2002) counter thesis for visual study and Sontag's (1979) analysis of the function of photography in society. Why visual perception is a fundamental human activity is considered and so positioned as a vital component of art education. Pedagogical implications for teaching visual perception and expertise to others are subsequently revealed, including the appropriate selection of media to construct and communicate meaning through an exploration of subject‐matter, and the need to consider symbiotic processes which enable the construction and refinement of perception and meaning for maker and audience. How this contributes to a debate about the purpose of an art education is tentatively examined in the light of current educational policy and ideology.
Encountering Pedagogy through Relational Art Practices
Authors: Irwin Rita L. , O'Donoghue Dónal
Published: October 2014

Two artists involved in ‘socially engaged art’ practice were invited to work with art education teacher candidates and instructors in an effort to rethink notions of teaching, learning and art. We initiated this residency, which we called ‘The Summerhill Residency’, to examine how learning encounters might create environments for meaningful exchanges between the ways in which artists and secondary art education teacher candidates learn to think about pedagogy and the nature of artistic learning. Drawing upon Bourriaud's theory of relational aesthetics, we consider, yet trouble, the relational aspects of the processes and products of the artist residency, and examine the crisis of imagination that permeated teacher candidates' experiences. Throughout the project, a/r/tography offered a rich form of living enquiry that opened up possibilities for learning within a community of enquirers.
Technology, Learning Communities and Young People: The Future Something Project
Authors: Herne Steve , Adams Jeff , Atkinson Dennis , Dash Paul , Jessel John
Published: October 2014

The Future Something Project (FSP), a two‐year action research project, was devised to nurture the creative and technological talent of small groups of young people at risk by creating a structured network, mentored and driven by creative professionals exploring innovative ways for the two distinct target groups to work together. The project practice is located within the new field of interaction design and takes a social and critical approach to art and design pedagogy. The external research team found that one valuable way of looking at the FSP enterprise was through the social theory of communities of practice (CoPs) developed in the 1990s by Lave and Wenger. The creation of a learning community as a pedagogical strategy is central to the conception and practice of this project. This article, therefore, sets out to apply an existing theory to a new art and design context together with more general thoughts on learning communities. It explores the potential of new technologies and different settings to effect learning within structured networks and local and virtual communities of practice.
Older People Learning through Contemporary Visual Art – Engagement and Barriers
Authors: Goulding Anna
Published: October 2014

This article addresses how older people understand and engage with contemporary art in the gallery context – whether there is something unique to the art, the format of the visits, the pedagogical approaches used by gallery educators, the social contact, or a combination of all these factors. It also addresses the psychosocial barriers to engagement. It draws from ‘Contemporary visual art and identity construction – wellbeing amongst older people’, a two‐year research project funded by the cross‐research council New Dynamic of Ageing Programme. Over 21 months, 43 participants aged 60–92 made three visits to contemporary art galleries in north‐east England. The potential for art galleries to develop lifelong learning opportunities for post‐retirement people has implications for the cultural, health and voluntary sector.
Exploring the Socio‐Politics of the Greek Debt Crisis in a Primary Art Classroom: A Political Cartooning Project
Authors: Christopoulou Martha
Published: October 2014

This article reports on an event‐driven case study which took the form of a curriculum intervention in order to examine how a class of fifth‐graders understood, interpreted and commented visually on the Greek debt crisis. Considering art education as a safe place where students can critically investigate through relevant visual culture genres socio‐political issues that affect their own lives, the author developed and implemented a political cartooning project. The students were engaged in making political cartoons about the Greek debt crisis and interrelated socio‐political issues and events. A finding of the study was that the students located, identified and labelled the multiple facets of the Greek crisis in a way that was meaningful to them. They employed visual and/or linguistic metaphors as a humorous mechanism to create meaning and emphasised the enormous strains placed on Greek society. The article concludes that the inclusion of the Greek debt crisis in the art curriculum served as a tool for social awareness for the students and connected schooling with society.
Most appropriate placement for people with dementia: individual experts' vs. expert groups' decisions in eight European countries
Authors: Saks Kai , Tiit Ene‐Margit , Verbeek Hilde , Raamat Katrin , Armolik Angelika , Leibur Jelena , Meyer Gabriele , Zabalegui Adelaida , Leino‐Kilpi Helena , Karlsson Staffan , Soto Maria , Tucker Sue ,   the RightTimePlaceCare Consortium
Published: October 2014

Aims

To investigate the extent of variability in individuals' and multidisciplinary groups' decisions about the most appropriate setting in which to support people with dementia in different European countries.

Background

Professionals' views of appropriate care depend on care systems, cultural background and professional discipline. It is not known to what extent decisions made by individual experts and multidisciplinary groups coincide.

Design

A modified nominal group approach was employed in eight countries (Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK) as part of the RightTimePlaceCare Project.

Methods

Detailed vignettes about 14 typical case types of people with dementia were presented to experts in dementia care (n = 161) during November and December 2012. First, experts recorded their personal judgements about the most appropriate settings (home care, assisted living, care home, nursing home) in which to support each of the depicted individuals. Second, participants worked in small groups to reach joint decisions for the same vignettes.

Results

Considerable variation was seen in individuals' recommendations for more than half the case types. Cognitive impairment, functional dependency, living situation and caregiver burden did not differentiate between case types generating high and low degrees of consensus. Group‐based decisions were more consistent, but country‐specific patterns remained.

Conclusions

A multidisciplinary approach would standardize the decisions made about the care needed by people with dementia on the cusp of care home admission. The results suggest that certain individuals could be appropriately diverted from care home entry if suitable community services were available.
House sparrow Passer domesticus survival is not associated with MHC‐I diversity, but possibly with specific MHC‐I alleles
Authors: Karlsson Maria , Schroeder Julia , Nakagawa Shinichi , Smith Henrik G. , Burke Terry , Westerdahl Helena
Published: October 2014

The MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) plays an important role in the immune system of vertebrates. MHC genes are extremely polymorphic and this variation is considered to be maintained by selection from pathogens. We investigate whether MHC diversity (number of different alleles per individual) affects the survival and recruitment of nestling house sparrows. We hypothesize that individuals with higher MHC diversity can recognize and combat a wider range of pathogens, and therefore are more likely to survive and recruit into the breeding population. Additionally, we hypothesize that specific MHC class I alleles (MHC‐I) could be associated with survival and recruitment. We screened MHC‐I genotypes in 518 house sparrow chicks hatched on Lundy Island but we found no evidence for a relationship between nestling survival, post‐fledging survival or recruitment success with MHC diversity. Then we investigated effects of specific MHC‐I alleles in 195 individuals from a single cohort. Twenty‐one MHC‐I alleles were tested for relationships with nestling survival, post‐fledging survival and recruitment, and we detected associations with survival for three different alleles. This pattern was, however, not different to what would be expected from random, so we could not conclude that particular MHC‐I alleles are associated with survival in house sparrows on Lundy Island. Nonetheless, one of these alleles (1105) showed both a tendency for a higher probability of surviving in nestlings, and a significant association with survival in fledglings. We envision that allele 1105 could be an interesting candidate gene for testing associations with survival in house sparrows in the future.
The decline of a peripheral population of the European robin Erithacus rubecula
Authors: Tellería José Luis
Published: October 2014

This paper examines the potential effect of some factors involved in the decline of a winter population of the European robin Erithacus rubecula in southern Spain. The area receives extra‐Iberian immigrants that come into contact with resident conspecifics. Given this interspersed distribution, three hypotheses were tested to explain the decline: a) the depletion of the carrying capacity of the area during winter, b) the decline of the resident population, and c) the reduction of foreign individuals in this wintering area. Winter robin and fruit (a main winter food) abundances were assessed at 43 sites from 1999 to 2014, and the abundance of breeding robins was evaluated from 1998 to 2012. Rainfall and temperatures were recorded throughout this period and changes in forests occupied by breeding robins were assessed in 1999 and 2013. Results showed a decline in winter temperatures and an increase in fruit availability. Given that food increases could buffer the thermoregulatory costs of colder conditions, the depletion of the carrying capacity of the area was discarded as a main driver of robin decline. Spring counts showed a reduction of 45% in the breeding population that was not explained by changes in forest management. However, a significant increase in summer temperatures could boost the pervasive effect of drought on robins inhabiting this marginal area of the species' range. Foreign immigrants, despite the increase in breeding populations in most of Europe, did not buffer the decline caused by the reduction of residents. In fact, an analysis of ring recoveries reported in this area depicted a sharp decrease in extra‐Iberian wintering individuals. These results may be related to the effect of global warming on migratory schedules (the northwards retreat of wintering areas) and on the suitability for robins of local habitats in this peripheral region of the Palaearctic.
Long‐term phenological shifts and intra‐specific differences in migratory change in the willow warblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Authors: Hedlund Johanna S. U. , Jakobsson Sven , Kullberg Cecilia , Fransson Thord
Published: October 2014

Climate change can influence many aspects of avian phenology and especially migratory shifts and changes in breeding onset receive much research interest in this context. However, changes in these different life‐cycle events in birds are often investigated separately and by means of ringing records of mixed populations. In this long‐term study on the willow warblerPhylloscopus trochilus, we investigated timing of spring and autumn migration in conjunction with timing of breeding. We made distinction among individuals with regard to age, sex, juvenile origin and migratory phase. The data set comprised 22‐yr of ringing records and two temporally separated data sets of egg‐laying dates and arrival of the breeding population close to the ringing site. The results reveal an overall advancement consistent in most, but not all, phenological events. During spring migration, early and median passage of males and females became earlier by between 4.4 to 6.3 d and median egg‐laying dates became earlier by 5 d. Male arrival advanced more, which may lead to an increase in the degree of protandry in the future. Among breeding individuals, only female arrival advanced in timing. In autumn, adults and locally hatched juvenile females did not advanced median passage, but locally hatched juvenile males appeared 4.2 d earlier. Migrating juvenile males and females advanced passage both in early and median migratory phase by between 8.4 to 10.1 d. The dissimilarities in the response between birds of different age, sex and migratory phase emphasize that environmental change may elicit intra‐specific selection pressures. The overall consistency of the phenological change in spring, autumn and egg‐laying, coupled with the unchanged number of days between median spring and autumn migration in adults, indicate that the breeding area residence has advanced seasonally but remained temporally constant.
Estimates of genetic parameters associated with lactation feed intake and growth and composition traits measured during a performance test
Authors: Yoder C.L. , Duttlinger V.M. , Baas T.J.
Published: October 2014

Days to reach 113.4 kg, adjusted backfat depth and adjusted loin muscle area to 113.4 kg were evaluated on pure‐bred Landrace (n = 15 660) and Yorkshire (n = 14 808) boars and gilts. Daily lactation feed intake (LFI) was recorded within parity records from pure‐bred Yorkshire (n = 1587) and Landrace (n = 2197) females during day 1–22 of lactation, and LFI curves were predicted using a mixed model. Evaluation of feed intake differences between 2 consecutive days of lactation resulted in the following periods: day 1–6 (PB1), day 7–10 (PB2) and day 11–18 (PB3). Average rate of change in intake (ARC), average daily intake (ADI) and variation from predicted daily LFI values (VAR) metrics were computed for each period of lactation. Gibbs sampling was used to estimate the genetic covariance between LFI metrics and grow‐finish traits. Genetic correlations were strongest between grow‐finish traits, and LFI metrics in first parity sows and were generally favourable, but correlations with LFI metrics during parity 2 or greater were low and not different from 0 (p > 0.05). Genetic correlations between LFI metrics in parity 1 sows with growth and composition traits varied greatly in strength and direction. Selection for leaner, heavier muscled gilts had a limited effect on LFI metrics. However, selection for increased growth rate was associated with higher ARC and ADI and smaller VAR values.
Codevelopment of ADHD and externalizing behavior from childhood to adulthood
Authors: Kuja‐Halkola Ralf , Lichtenstein Paul , D'Onofrio Brian M. , Larsson Henrik
Published: October 2014

Background

Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently co‐occurs with externalizing disorders, but a clear understanding of the etiologic underpinnings is hampered by the limited understanding of the codevelopment of the traits from childhood into early adulthood.

Methods

Using a birth cohort of 2600 twins, the Swedish Twin study of Child and Adolescent Development study, assessed at ages 8–9, 13–14, 16–17, and 19–20, we investigated the codevelopment of ADHD and externalizing behavior from childhood to adulthood. The analyses examined ADHD‐like and externalizing traits, as rated by twins and their parents using the Attention Problems scale and Externalizing scale of the Child Behavior Checklist, and estimated cross‐lagged effects (one trait at one time‐point predicting the other at the next). The covariation between the traits were decomposed into stable (effects carried over from the prior time‐points) and innovative (new effects for each time‐point) sources; each source was further decomposed into additive genetics, shared and nonshared environment.

Results

The analysis suggested that externalizing traits in middle childhood (age 8–9) predicted ADHD‐like traits in early adolescence (age 13–14), whereas the reverse association was nonsignificant. In contrast, ADHD‐like traits in lateadolescence (age 16–17) predicted externalizing traits in early adulthood (age 19–20). The correlation between ADHD‐like and externalizing traits increased over time. At all time‐points, innovative sources contributed substantially to maintained comorbidity. Genetic effects explained 67% of the covariation at each time‐point; importantly, nearly 50% of these effects were innovative.

Conclusions

This study challenges the belief that ADHD generally precedes externalizing behaviors; rather, change in the etiologic factors across the development is the rule. The effects were due to both new genetic and environmental factors emerging up to young adulthood. Clinicians and researchers needs to consider complex etiologic and developmental models for the comorbidity between ADHD and externalizing behaviors.
Digital differential confocal microscopy based on spatial shift transformation
Authors: LIU J. , WANG Y. , LIU C. , WILSON T. , WANG H. , TAN J.
Published: October 2014

Differential confocal microscopy is a particularly powerful surface profilometry technique in industrial metrology due to its high axial sensitivity and insensitivity to noise. However, the practical implementation of the technique requires the accurate positioning of point detectors in three‐dimensions. We describe a simple alternative based on spatial transformation of a through‐focus series of images obtained from a homemade beam scanning confocal microscope. This digital differential confocal microscopy approach is described and compared with the traditional Differential confocal microscopy approach. The ease of use of the digital differential confocal microscopy system is illustrated by performing measurements on a 3D standard specimen.
Destination and source memory in Huntington's disease
Authors: El Haj Mohamad , Caillaud Marie , Verny Christophe , Fasotti Luciano , Allain Philippe
Published: October 2014

Destination memory refers to the recall of the destination of previously relayed information, and source memory refers to the recollection of the origin of received information. We compared both memory systems in Huntington's disease (HD) participants. For this, HD participants and healthy adults had to put 12 items in a black or a white box (destination task), and to extract another 12 items from a blue or a red box (source task). Afterwards, they had to decide in which box each item had previously been deposited (destination memory), and from which box each item had previously been extracted (source memory). HD participants showed poorer source as well as destination recall performance than healthy adults in the proposed tasks. Correlation analysis showed that destination recall was significantly correlated with episodic recall in HD participants. Destination memory impairment in HD participants seems to be considerably influenced by their episodic memory performance.
Identification of new risk factors for wound separation in gynecologic malignancy surgery
Authors: Yanazume Shintaro , Kamio Masaki , Karakida Noriko , Gibo Akiko , Nakajo Yukiko , Togami Shinichi , Douchi Tsutomu
Published: October 2014

Aim

The purpose of this study was to compare prophylactic subcutaneous drainage plus subcuticular sutures versus staples for the risk of wound separation after skin closure following gynecologic malignancy surgery, and to investigate the risk factors of this procedure.

Material and Methods

Patients were divided into two groups: 120 patients who were treated with subcutaneous drainage plus subcuticular sutures (Suture group) and 201 patients with staples plus subcutaneous sutures (Staples group). In the Suture group, subcuticular tissue was approximated with interrupted 4‐0 polydioxanone sutures, and adhesive closure strips were used on the skin surface. A 3.3‐mm closed drainage was implicated in subcutaneous tissue. In the Staples group, subcutaneous tissue was approximated with interrupted polyglactin (Vicryl, Ethicon) sutures.

Results

Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Mean operation times were compatible (201 vs 196 min, P = 0.16). The incidence of wound separation was less in the Suture group than in the Staples group (3/120 vs 17/201, P = 0.033). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the Staples group was an independent risk factor for wound separation (odds ratio 7.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.59–33.91, P = 0.011), independent of obesity, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages, and operation time. None of the 14 obese patients in the Suture group showed surgical wound separation.

Conclusions

The combination of a prophylactic subcutaneous drain and subcuticular sutures reduced wound separation after skin closure following gynecologic malignancy surgery. With the information regarding risk factors established in this study, the above method provides the best results to minimize the risk, particularly in obese patients.
Dienogest for the treatment of deep endometriosis: Case report and literature review
Authors: Agarwal Sugandha , Fraser Margaret Ann , Chen Innie , Singh Sukhbir Sony
Published: October 2014

A 38‐year‐old woman was found to have a deep 3.3‐cm endometriotic nodule of the bladder, confirmed by cystoscopic resection and imaging. Ultrasound also confirmed a 2.6‐cm vaginal fornix implant with similar appearance to the bladder mass. The patient's primary symptoms were mild dysmenorrhea, catamenial dysuria and hematuria. The patient conceived shortly after referral and 3 months post‐delivery was offered surgical management but declined in favor of medical management. Dienogest 2 mg once a day was started and after 16 months of treatment, more than 50% reduction in the size of the bladder nodule was seen (pretreatment: 3.3 × 3.0 × 2.7 cm, volume: 13.9 cm3; post‐treatment: 2.8 × 2.3 × 1.0 cm, volume: 6.4 cm3). The vaginal mass also decreased in size from a pretreatment value of 2.0 × 2.6 × 1.4 cm (3.8 cm3) to 1.1 × 1.4 × 0.5 mm (0.40 cm3) after the treatment. The patient remained asymptomatic with no significant adverse drug reaction during management. Dienogest may be one of the options for medical management of deep endometriosis in young women especially when surgical intervention is declined.
Case report of a rare dermatosis in pregnancy: Impetigo herpetiformis
Authors: Ulubay Mustafa , Keskin Uğur , Fidan Ulas , Çiçek Ali Fuat , Çalışkan Ercan , Karaca Rıza Efendi , Fıratlıgil Fahri Burçin , Ergün Ali
Published: October 2014

Impetigo herpetiformis (IH) is a very rare type of dermatosis seen in pregnancy. According to the published work, IH during pregnancy is associated with the risk of stillbirth, and obstetric management in such cases is very important. Early recognition is important to reduce both maternal and fetal morbidity. We present a case of IH resistant to corticosteroid therapy in a 27‐year‐old pregnant woman where the pregnancy was terminated by the induction of labor.
Part‐Time Employment—Boon to Women but Bane to Men? New Insights on Employer‐Provided Training
Authors: Backes‐Gellner Uschi , Oswald Yvonne , Tuor Sartore Simone
Published: October 2014

Although previous literature has found substantial differences between female and male workers in almost all labor market outcomes, the question of whether training participation differs between female and male part‐time workers has been neglected. This article provides a novel examination of whether the part‐time training gap is gender‐dependent. Using a Swiss dataset, we find that men engaged in part‐time employment suffer from a serious training disadvantage in comparison to men working full‐time and that this effect is not found for women. Thus, in countries where part‐time participation levels differ significantly between men and women, part‐time employment is a “bane” to men but not to women. Women, however, “pay the price” merely by virtue of being female.
Does Aid Promote Donor Exports? Commercial Interest versus Instrumental Philanthropy
Authors: Martínez‐Zarzoso Inmaculada , Nowak‐Lehmann Felicitas , Parra M. D. , Klasen Stephan
Published: October 2014

This paper investigates by means of advanced panel data techniques whether bilateral aid has been successful in promoting bilateral exports to recipient countries during the period 1988–2007 and to what extent changes in aid policies have influenced this relationship. The main novelty of this research is the distinction between tied and untied aid in a multi‐donor gravity model of trade and the comparison between trade and aid policies in this setting. We find an average positive effect of bilateral aid on exports, which varies over time and across donors and which appears to depend on the extent to which donors tied aid to exports. The effect does appear to have decreased substantially over the period studied and it is even not statistically significant in the 2000s, which could suggest that the recommendations given by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) concerning the untying of aid and aid allocation have been followed by the donors and led to declining impacts on their exports. Interestingly, these decreasing aid‐elasticities are accompanied by increasing coefficients of the regional trade agreement variable, which is positive and statistically significant after 1994. Finally, we find that the strength of the relationship between exports and bilateral aid is correlated with the extent to which aid is tied and partially related to the sectoral allocation of aid.
Hybridization and mitochondrial genome introgression betweenRana chensinensisandR. kukunoris
Authors: Qi Yin , Lu Bin , Gao Haiyan , Hu Ping , Fu Jinzhong
Published: October 2014

Mitochondrial genome (mito‐genome) introgression among metazoans is commonplace, and several biological processes may promote such introgression. We examined two proposed processes for the mito‐genome introgression betweenRana chensinensisandR. kukunoris: natural hybridization and sex‐biased dispersal. We sampled 477 individuals from 28 sites in the potential hybrid zone in the western Tsinling Mountains. Mitochondrial gene (cyt‐b) trees were used to examine the introgression events. MicrosatelliteDNAloci,cyt‐band morphological data were used to identify hybrids and to examine the extent of natural hybridization. We detected rampant bidirectional introgressions, both ancient and recent, between the two species. Furthermore, we found a wide hybrid zone, and frequent and asymmetric hybridization. The hybrid zone cline analysis revealed a clear mitochondrial–nuclear discordance; while most nuclear markers displayed similar and steep clines,cyt‐bhad a displaced cline centre and a more gradual and wider cline. We also detected strong and asymmetric historical maternal gene flow across the hybrid zone. This widespread hybridization and detected low mito‐nuclear conflicts may, at least partially, explain the high frequency of introgression. Lastly, microsatellite data and population genetic methods were used to assess sex‐biased dispersal. A weak pattern of female‐biased dispersal was detected in both species, suggesting it may not play an important role in the observed introgression. Our data are consistent with the hybridization hypothesis, but support for the sex‐biased dispersal hypothesis is weak. We further suggest that selective advantages of theR. kukunoris‐type mito‐genome in thermal adaptation may also contribute to the introgression between the two species.
Why Every Theory of Luck is Wrong
Authors: Hales Steven D.
Published: October 2014

There are three theories of luck in the literature, each of which tends to appeal to philosophers pursuing different concerns. These are the probability, modal, and control views. I will argue that all three theories are irreparably defective; not only are there counterexamples to each of the three theories of luck, but there are three previously undiscussed classes of counterexamples against them. These are the problems of lucky necessities, skillful luck, and diachronic luck. I conclude that a serious reevaluation of the role of luck in philosophy is called for.
Conciliation, Uniqueness and Rational Toxicity1
Authors: Christensen David
Published: October 2014

Conciliationism holds that disagreement of apparent epistemic peers often substantially undermines rational confidence in our opinions. Uniqueness principles say that there is at most one maximally rational doxastic response to any given batch of total evidence. The two views are often thought to be tightly connected. This paper distinguishes two ways of motivating conciliationism, and two ways that conciliationism may be undermined by permissive accounts of rationality (those that deny uniqueness). It shows how conciliationism can flourish under certain strongly permissive accounts of rationality. This occurs when the motivation for conciliationism does not come (as is sometimes supposed) from taking disagreement as evidence of one's own rational failings. However, divorcing the motive for conciliating from worries about rationality does not remove a feature of conciliationism that some find troubling: that conciliationism can lead to cases of “rational toxicity,” in which the most rational response to one's evidence involves violating some rational ideal.
Development of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator for reducing sudden cardiac death
Authors: Sanghera Rick , Sanders Richard , Husby Michael , Bentsen James G.
Published: October 2014

Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs) detect ventricular arrhythmias responsible for causing sudden cardiac arrest and then deliver a high‐voltage defibrillation shock to terminate the arrhythmia and restore normal cardiac function. Conventional transveneous ICD (TV‐ICD) systems require one or more leads to be implanted into the heart through the venous anatomy. While TV‐ICDs are well tolerated by most patients, the invasive approach can be associated with severe complications, including systemic infection, cardiac injuries, and lead failures. An entirely subcutaneous ICD (S‐ICD) system was developed as a less invasive alternative to TV‐ICDs without requiring leads in or on the heart. The S‐ICD system provides therapy with a left lateral pulse generator and parasternal electrode configuration that is placed under the skin outside the rib cage, resulting in a much lower risk profile. Advances in defibrillation research and far‐field sensing combined to enable development of the commercial S‐ICD system. An investigation device exemption (IDE) clinical investigation followed, with FDA approval in September 2012. Evaluation of the long‐term performance of the S‐ICD system continues, with two independent postmarket registries and a prospective randomized head‐to‐head trial versus the transvenous ICD.
Inactivation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum urease gene using transcription activator‐like effector nuclease‐based targeted mutagenesis
Authors: Weyman Philip D. , Beeri Karen , Lefebvre Stephane C. , Rivera Josefa , McCarthy James K. , Heuberger Adam L. , Peers Graham , Allen Andrew E. , Dupont Christopher L.
Published: October 2014

Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic algae with promise for green production of fuels and other chemicals. Recent genome‐editing techniques have greatly improved the potential of many eukaryotic genetic systems, including diatoms, to enable knowledge‐based studies and bioengineering. Using a new technique, transcription activator‐like effector nucleases (TALENs), the gene encoding the urease enzyme in the model diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, was targeted for interruption. The knockout cassette was identified within the urease gene by PCR and Southern blot analyses of genomic DNA. The lack of urease protein was confirmed by Western blot analyses in mutant cell lines that were unable to grow on urea as the sole nitrogen source. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed a build‐up of urea, arginine and ornithine in the urease knockout lines. All three intermediate metabolites are upstream of the urease reaction within the urea cycle, suggesting a disruption of the cycle despite urea production. Numerous high carbon metabolites were enriched in the mutant, implying a breakdown of cellular C and N repartitioning. The presented method improves the molecular toolkit for diatoms and clarifies the role of urease in the urea cycle.
Level of plasma thioredoxin in male patients with manic episode at initial and post‐electroconvulsive or antipsychotic treatment
Authors: Genc Abdullah , Kalelioglu Tevfik , Karamustafalioglu Nesrin , Tasdemir Akif , Gungor Ferda Can , Genc Esra Sena , Incir Said , Ilnem Cem , Emul Murat
Published: October 2014

Aim

Oxidative stress is defined as exposure to excessive oxidants and/or decrease in antioxidant capacity. Several studies have shown the effects of free radicals and antioxidant defense systems in bipolar disorder. We aimed to investigate the role of thioredoxin (TRX), which is a novel oxidative stress marker in patients with bipolar disorder.

Methods

Sixty‐eight hospitalized bipolar patients who were in manic episode were included in the study. As a control group, 30 healthy people were elected. Two groups were formed. The first group consisted of patients who were undergoing electroconvulsive treatment + antipsychotic treatment (haloperidol+quetiapine) and members of the other group were taking only antipsychotic treatment. Plasma thioredoxin levels were measured before and after treatment.

Results

Pretreatment plasma TRX levels of patients were significantly lower than the controls (P < 0.05). Comparing pre‐ and post‐treatment plasma TRX levels of all patients, post‐treatment plasma TRX levels were significantly lower than the pre‐treatment plasma TRX levels (P < 0.05). When we compared TRX levels between the electroconvulsive treatment + antipsychotic treatment group and the antipsychotic treatment group (P > 0.05) and within groups (P > 0.05) we did not find any statistically significant difference.

Conclusion

Oxidative balance is impaired in bipolar disorder manic episode in favor of the oxidants. Decreased plasma TRX levels in the manic episode probably mean that antioxidant capacity is decreased in the bipolar disorder patients in the manic episode. Further studies in euthymic and depressive states are also needed to gain more insight into the role of TRX in bipolar disorder.