bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and management of haemorrhagic Descemet membrane detachment in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty
Authors: Alobeidan Saleh A. , Almobarak Faisal A.
Published: December 2015

Purpose

To report the incidence and management of haemorrhagic Descemet membrane detachment (HDMD) in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty.

Methods

This study included 105 eyes of 92 patients with uncontrolled open angle glaucoma who underwent canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty between 2010 and 2014. Eyes that developed either HDMD or non‐HDMD were identified. The main outcome measures were the development of HDMD and non‐HDMD, best corrected visual acuity, recovery time after Descemet membrane detachment (DMD), intra‐ocular pressure (IOP) and number of antiglaucoma medications. Each eye was managed according to the time of development, type and extent of DMD.

Results

Ten eyes (9.5%) developed DMD‐ four eyes underwent canaloplasty (3.8%) and six eyes underwent phacocanaloplasty (5.7%). Three of 10 eyes developed non‐HDMD while seven of 10 developed HDMD, the majority of HDMD cases occurred in combination with phacocanaloplasty (five of seven). The non‐HDMD eyes resolved completely within 2 weeks without intervention. One eye with HDMD was observed for 2 weeks, before a 15% sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) intracameral injection was given. The patient developed a dense corneal stain that was resolving slowly over 30 months. One eye with HDMD underwent YAG laser membranotomy 2 weeks after being identified, which regained corneal transparency 1 month after treatment, while the remaining five eyes underwent immediate surgical drainage and regained corneal transparency 1 day post‐procedure.

Conclusion

HDMD occurred in up to 6.7% in canaloplasty and phacocanaloplasty procedures, mostly during catheter withdrawal and the viscodilation step. Early recognition and management prevented further manipulation.
Fermentation and microbial population dynamics during the ensiling of native grass and subsequent exposure to air
Authors: Zhang Qing , Wu Baiyila , Nishino Naoki , Wang Xianguo , Yu Zhu
Published: December 2015

To study the microbial population and fermentation dynamics of large needlegrass (LN) and Chinese leymus (CL) during ensiling and subsequent exposure to air, silages were sampled and analyzed using culture‐based techniques and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). A total of 112 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were isolated and identified using the 16S rRNA sequencing method. Lactic acid was not detected in the first 20 days in LN silage and the pH decreased to 6.13 after 45 days of ensiling. The temperature of the LN silage increased after approximately 30 h of air exposure and the CL silage showed a slight temperature variation. Enterococcus spp. were mainly present in LN silage. The proportion of Lactobacillus brevis in CL silage increased after exposure to air. LN silage with a higher proportion of Enterococcus spp. and propionic acid concentration did not show higher fermentation quality or aerobic stability than CL silage, which had a higher concentration of acetic acid, butyric acid and increased proportion of L. brevis after exposure to air.
Balloon occlusion of the caudal vena cava for vascular contrast studies as an aid to intravascular coil embolisation for the treatment of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in three dogs
Authors: Cook DA , Gavaghan BJ , Moses PA
Published: December 2015

Case report

Three dogs were treated with fluoroscopically guided coil embolisation of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. A large‐diameter vascular occlusion balloon was used to improve the vascular contrast studies required to perform this procedure. This technique improved identification of vascular structures and allowed completion of the procedures without the need for digital subtraction angiography.

Clinical significance

Interventional radiological procedures are an emerging area of veterinary medicine and procedural modifications may help expand their use in clinical practice.
Review of psittacine beak and feather disease and its effect on Australian endangered species
Authors: Raidal SR , Sarker S , Peters A
Published: December 2015

Background

Since it was first described in the early 1980s, psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) has become recognised as the dominant viral pathogen of psittacine birds in Australia. Our aim was to evaluate and review the effect of PBFD and its position as a key threatening process to Australian psittacine bird species. We review the origin/evolutionary pathways and potential threat of PBFD to endangered psittacine bird populations and captive‐breeding flocks.

Conclusions

The most recent beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) phylogenetic analyses indicate that all endangered Australian psittacine bird species are susceptible to, and equally likely to be infected by, BFDV genotypes from a range of host psittacine species. Management of the disease in captive‐breeding programs has relied on testing and culling, which has proven costly. The risk of PBFD should be considered very carefully by management teams contemplating the establishment of captive‐breeding flocks for endangered species. Alternative disease prevention tools, including vaccination, which are increasingly being used in wildlife health, should be considered more seriously for managing and preventing PBFD in captive flocks of critically endangered species.
The Metric and the Threshold Problem for Theories of Health Justice: A Comment on Venkatapuram
Authors: Schramme Thomas
Published: December 2015

Any theory of health justice requires an account of what areas of social life are important enough to be of public concern. What are the goods that ought to be provided as a matter of justice? This is what I will call the metric problem. The capabilities approach puts forward a particular solution to this problem. In this article I will discuss some issues of such an approach in relation to Sridhar Venkatapuram's well‐known theory. Another problem I examine is how to determine a threshold of provision within a theory of justice. What is enough in terms of health justice? I argue that we need such a threshold to avoid healthism, the expansion of the pursuit of health over and above the treatment and prevention of disease. This is an especially pertinent problem in public health, which is also the context of Venkatapuram's theory.
A Predictive Enrichment Procedure to Identify Potential Responders to a New Therapy for Randomized, Comparative Controlled Clinical Studies
Authors: Li Junlong , Zhao Lihui , Tian Lu , Cai Tianxi , Claggett Brian , Callegaro Andrea , Dizier Benjamin , Spiessens Bart , Ulloa-Montoya Fernando , Wei Lee-Jen
Published: December 2015

To evaluate a new therapy versus a control via a randomized, comparative clinical study or a series of trials, due to heterogeneity of the study patient population, a pre-specified, predictive enrichment procedure may be implemented to identify an “enrichable” subpopulation. For patients in this subpopulation, the therapy is expected to have a desirable overall risk-benefit profile. To develop and validate such a “therapy-diagnostic co-development” strategy, a three-step procedure may be conducted with three independent data sets from a series of similar studies or a single trial. At the first stage, we create various candidate scoring systems based on the baseline information of the patients via, for example, parametric models using the first data set. Each individual score reflects an anticipated average treatment difference for future patients who share similar baseline profiles. A large score indicates that these patients tend to benefit from the new therapy. At the second step, a potentially promising, enrichable subgroup is identified using the totality of evidence from these scoring systems. At the final stage, we validate such a selection via two-sample inference procedures for assessing the treatment effectiveness statistically and clinically with the third data set, the so-called holdout sample. When the study size is not large, one may combine the first two steps using a “cross-training-evaluation” process. Comprehensive numerical studies are conducted to investigate the operational characteristics of the proposed method. The entire enrichment procedure is illustrated with the data from a cardiovascular trial to evaluate a beta-blocker versus a placebo for treating chronic heart failure patients.
Model Selection and Inference for Censored Lifetime Medical Expenditures
Authors: Johnson Brent A. , Long Qi , Huang Yijian , Chansky Kari , Redman Mary
Published: December 2015

Identifying factors associated with increased medical cost is important for many micro- and macro-institutions, including the national economy and public health, insurers and the insured. However, assembling comprehensive national databases that include both the cost and individual-level predictors can prove challenging. Alternatively, one can use data from smaller studies with the understanding that conclusions drawn from such analyses may be limited to the participant population. At the same time, smaller clinical studies have limited follow-up and lifetime medical cost may not be fully observed for all study participants. In this context, we develop new model selection methods and inference procedures for secondary analyses of clinical trial data when lifetime medical cost is subject to induced censoring. Our model selection methods extend a theory of penalized estimating function to a calibration regression estimator tailored for this data type. Next, we develop a novel inference procedure for the unpenalized regression estimator using perturbation and resampling theory. Then, we extend this resampling plan to accommodate regularized coefficient estimation of censored lifetime medical cost and develop postselection inference procedures for the final model. Our methods are motivated by data from Southwest Oncology Group Protocol 9509, a clinical trial of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer, and our models of lifetime medical cost are specific to this population. But the methods presented in this article are built on rather general techniques and could be applied to larger databases as those data become available.
Mechanistic Spatio-Temporal Point Process Models for Marked Point Processes, With a View to Forest Stand Data
Authors: Møller Jesper , Ghorbani Mohammad , Rubak Ege
Published: December 2015

We show how a spatial point process, where to each point there is associated a random quantitative mark, can be identified with a spatio-temporal point process specified by a conditional intensity function. For instance, the points can be tree locations, the marks can express the size of trees, and the conditional intensity function can describe the distribution of a tree (i.e., its location and size) conditionally on the larger trees. This enable us to construct parametric statistical models which are easily interpretable and where maximum-likelihood-based inference is tractable.
Current standard treatment of adult acute promyelocytic leukaemia
Authors: Lo‐Coco Francesco , Cicconi Laura , Breccia Massimo
Published: December 2015

The outcome of patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) has dramatically improved over the last two decades, due to the introduction of combined all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and chemotherapy regimens and, more recently, to the advent of arsenic trioxide (ATO). ATRA and anthracycline‐based chemotherapy remains a widely used strategy, providing cure rates above 80%, but it is associated with risk of severe infections and occurrence of secondary leukaemias. ATO is the most effective single agent in APL and, used alone or in combination with ATRA or ATRA and reduced‐intensity chemotherapy, results in greater efficacy with considerably less haematological toxicity. The toxic profile of ATO includes frequent, but manageable, QTc prolongation and increase of liver enzymes. Two large randomized studies have shown that ATRA + ATO is superior to ATRA + chemotherapy for newly diagnosed low‐risk APL resulting in 2–4 year event‐free survival rates above 90% and very few relapses. According to real world data, the spectacular progress in APL outcomes reported in clinical trials has not been paralleled by a significant improvement in early death rates, this remains the most challenging issue for the final cure of the disease.
Compound 9a, a novel synthetic histone deacetylase inhibitor, protects against septic injury in mice by suppressing MAPK signalling
Authors: Kim So‐Jin , Baek Ki Seon , Park Hyun‐Ju , Jung Young Hoon , Lee Sun‐Mee
Published: December 2015

Background and Purpose

Sepsis is a life‐threatening clinical condition characterized by uncontrolled inflammatory responses and is a major cause of death in intensive care units. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have recently exhibited anti‐inflammatory properties. MAPK phosphatase (MKP) suppresses MAPK signalling, which plays an important role in inflammatory responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective mechanisms of Compound 9a, a newly synthetized HDAC inhibitor, against septic injury.

Experimental Approach

The anti‐inflammatory properties of Compound 9a were assayed in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In vivo, polymicrobial sepsis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The mice were treated with Compound 9a (i.p., 10 mg∙kg−1) 2 h before and immediately after CLP.

Key Results

Compound 9a inhibited the increased production of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and NO in LPS‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In mice with CLP, Compound 9a improved survival rate, attenuated organ injuries and decreased serum TNF‐α and IL‐6 levels. CLP increased expression of toll‐like receptor 4, phosphorylated (p)‐p38, p‐JNK and p‐ERK proteins, which was attenuated by Compound 9a. Compound 9a decreased MKP‐1 association with HDAC1 and enhanced MKP‐1 acetylation and enhanced MKP‐1 association with p‐p38 and p‐ERK. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of Compound 9a on serum cytokine levels and phosphorylation of MAPK were abolished by MKP‐1 siRNA.

Conclusions and Implications

Our findings suggest that Compound 9a protected against septic injury by suppressing MAPK‐mediated inflammatory signalling.
Tracing economic transition in the mine towns of northern Ontario: An application of the “resource‐dependency model”
Authors: Mitchell Clare J. A. , O'Neill Kendra
Published: December 2015

Key Messages

The relationship between economic transition and population change is examined in 19 mining census subdivisions of northern Ontario for the period 1991 to 2011.

In 13 localities, three transition variants are traced to the stages of in‐ or ex‐situ post‐dependence in our Resource Dependency Model.

Transition does not generate significant nor sustainable population growth but is necessary to avoid economic vacuity and extensive population loss.
Validity of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to detect risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder in preschoolers
Authors: King‐Dowling S. , Rodriguez M. C. , Missiuna C. , Cairney J.
Published: December 2015

Background

A reliable and valid screening tool for detecting children at risk for Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire‐Third Edition (ASQ‐3) motor scales to detect children at risk for DCD in a community‐based sample of children aged 3.5–5.5 years.

Methods

One hundred and sixty parent–child pairs were recruited from community‐based organizations. Children were eligible if they spoke English and had no known physical impairments. Eligible parents were asked to fill out the ASQ‐3, following which their child's fine motor and gross motor proficiency was assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children – Second Edition (MABC‐2). DCD risk was defined as those children scoring at or below the 16th percentile on the MABC‐2. Sensitivity and specificity of the fine and gross motor areas of the ASQ‐3 were examined and referenced against the DCD risk classification.

Results

The ASQ‐3 total motor score correlated moderately with overall standard score on the MABC‐2 (r = 0.41; p < 0.001). Regardless of the ASQ‐3 cut‐off used, sensitivities of the ASQ‐3 fine motor or gross motor scale to detect DCD risk were low at 21–47%, whereas specificities were high at 89–96%.

Conclusion

Early identification of motor skill delays is important in order to intervene and hopefully prevent the associated negative health consequences. However, because of the low sensitivity of the ASQ‐3 motor scales, these results suggest that the ASQ‐3 is not an appropriate screening tool to identify children at risk for DCD in the preschool population.
Dental associations with blood mercury in pregnant women
Authors: Golding Jean , Steer Colin D. , Gregory Steven , Lowery Tony , Hibbeln Joseph R. , Taylor Caroline M.
Published: December 2015

Objectives

There is curiosity concerning the source of mercury that is absorbed into the mother's blood and which may affect the developing fetus. This study therefore sets out to determine the extent to which dental amalgam (DA) may contribute to total blood mercury (TBHg) levels of pregnant women in the UK.

Methods

Whole blood samples and information on diet and socio‐demographic factors were collected from pregnant women (n = 4484) enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The whole blood samples were assayed for total mercury levels using inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry (ICP‐DRC‐MS), and the women were retrospectively asked about features of their dental care during the pregnancy. Linear regression was used to estimate the relative contributions of DA to TBHg levels (log‐transformed) based on R2 values, compared to the results from dietary and socio‐demographic variables.

Results

The contribution to the variance of the mothers' TBHg levels by dental variables was 6.47%, a figure comparable to the 8.75% shown for seafood consumption in this population. Dietary and dental variables explained 20.16% of the variance, with socio‐demographic variables contributing only a further 3.40%. The number of amalgams in the mouth at the start of pregnancy accounted for most of the variance in dental variables.

Conclusions

Dental amalgam contributes a comparable amount of variance in TBHg to seafood consumption in this population. However, because the measures of DA exposure were imprecise, these findings are likely to be an underestimate. There is no evidence to date in the literature that fetal exposures to mercury from maternal DAs have adverse effects on the developing child, but long‐term studies are warranted.
Memory‐Efficient Interactive Online Reconstruction From Depth Image Streams
Authors: Reichl F. , Weiss J. , Westermann R.
Published: December 2015

We describe how the pipeline for 3D online reconstruction using commodity depth and image scanning hardware can be made scalable for large spatial extents and high scanning resolutions. Our modified pipeline requires less than 10% of the memory that is required by previous approaches at similar speed and resolution. To achieve this, we avoid storing a 3D distance field and weight map during online scene reconstruction. Instead, surface samples are binned into a high‐resolution binary voxel grid. This grid is used in combination with caching and deferred processing of depth images to reconstruct the scene geometry. For pose estimation, GPU ray‐casting is performed on the binary voxel grid. A one‐to‐one comparison to level‐set ray‐casting in a distance volume indicates slightly lower pose accuracy. To enable unlimited spatial extents and store acquired samples at the appropriate level of detail, we combine a hash map with a hierarchical tree representation.
Antitakeover Statutes and Internal Corporate Governance
Authors: Lee Choonsik , Chung Kee H.
Published: December 2015

Manuscript Type

Empirical

Research Question/Issue

This paper examines the relation between internal corporate governance and the market for corporate control by analyzing how firms' internal governance mechanisms are related to states' antitakeover statutes (ATS). Specifically, we test two competing hypotheses concerning the effect of ATS on internal governance: the substitution hypothesis and the complementarity hypothesis.

Research Findings/Insights

We provide evidence that is consistent with the complementarity hypothesis that exposure to a possible takeover increases rather than decreases the need for better internal governance mechanisms. Specifically, firms that are exposed to takeover threats (i.e., firms in states without ATS or firms that opt out of states' ATS) have stronger internal governance mechanisms (i.e., adopt a greater number of governance standards) than do firms that are not exposed to takeover threats (i.e., firms in states with ATS). In a similar vein, firms adopt more internal governance standards when states abolish existing ATS.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

Although prior research suggests that exposure to takeover threats reduces managerial entrenchment through its disciplinary effect, our study provides evidence that exposure to a possible takeover could exacerbate the managerial myopia problem and that firms mitigate this problem through internal governance mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that certain governance mechanisms (e.g., state‐level ATS) are more effective in addressing the agency problem in the presence of other complementary governance mechanisms (e.g., firm‐level governance standards), contributing to the growing literature that calls attention to the importance of viewing various governance mechanisms from a bundle perspective. In addition, our study contributes to the literature with a new identification strategy. Our identification strategy makes use of the fact that firms would not be subject to the same shock from the abolition of ATS if they had already opted out, which enables us to analyze the relation between ATS and internal governance mechanisms more accurately. This identification strategy may benefit future studies that consider state‐level changes in ATS to be exogenous shocks.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

Our study provides empirical evidence concerning the complex ramifications of states' antitakeover statutes for corporate governance that policymakers and market regulators should consider in their decision‐making. The complementarity, particularly between state‐level laws and firm‐level board functions, may deserve better attention from policymakers, regulators, and corporate managers.
Cervical cancer stem cells
Authors: Yao Tingting , Lu Rongbiao , Zhang Yizhen , Zhang Ya , Zhao Chenyang , Lin Rongchun , Lin Zhongqiu
Published: December 2015

The concept of cancer stem cells (CSC) has been established over the past decade or so, and their role in carcinogenic processes has been confirmed. In this review, we focus on cervical CSCs, including (1) their purported origin, (2) markers used for cervical CSC identification, (3) alterations to signalling pathways in cervical cancer and (4) the cancer stem cell niche. Although cervical CSCs have not yet been definitively identified and characterized, future studies pursuing them as therapeutic targets may provide novel insights for treatment of cervical cancer.
How and When Does Emotional Intelligence Influence Salesperson Adaptive and Proactive Performance?
Authors: Bande Belén , Fernández‐Ferrín Pilar
Published: December 2015

Salesperson adaptivity and proactivity are two emergent forms of sales performance that are particularly important when work requirements cannot be clearly anticipated and employees need to address complex situations. This study attempts to contribute to the existing literature by exploring the underlying mechanism that links emotional intelligence (EI), an ability that is considered fundamental in customer interactions, to adaptive and proactive performance. A dyadic sample of industrial salespeople and their immediate supervisors reveals thatEIhas a positive influence on salesperson adaptivity and proactivity through its effect on their perceived self‐efficacy and intrinsic motivation. Additionally, the indirect effect of self‐efficacy on adaptive and proactive sales performance is found to depend on a salesperson's perceived organizational support and ability to bounce back. Certain implications of this study, as well as suggestions for future research, are also addressed.
The State of Freedom in Europe
Authors: Gearty Conor
Published: December 2015

The reaction to 11 September damaged the liberty of those living in Europe who found themselves targeted as suspect terrorists while seeming to do little to ensure the security of the wider community. More recently a second emergency, rooted this time in the financial and economic collapse of 2008 onwards, has caused a further unravelling of Europe's constitutional project, even threatening the gains of past generations of European idealists. In today's Europe universal liberty and security have no meaning for many even if their shape is retained in structures that in truth mock rather than deliver democracy and human rights. This article traces the origins of the crises that have afflicted so directly the breadth of liberty and human security in the Union, demonstrating their roots in ‘viruses’ that have been present from the start of the European movement but which have now spiralled out of control. The essay ends by asking what can be done to prevent the full decline of the region into a state of neo‐democratic/post‐democratic unfreedom, one in which capital unbound from democracy thrives at the expense of the people.
Impacts of management practices on bioenergy feedstock yield and economic feasibility on Conservation Reserve Program grasslands
Authors: Anderson Eric K. , Aberle Ezra , Chen Chengci , Egenolf Josh , Harmoney Keith , Kakani Vijaya Gopal , Kallenbach Robert , Khanna Madhu , Wang Weiwei , Lee DoKyoung
Published: December 2015

Perennial grass mixtures planted on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land are a potential source of dedicated bioenergy feedstock. Long‐term nitrogen (N) and harvest management are critical factors for maximizing biomass yield while maintaining the longevity of grass stands. A six‐year farm‐scale study was conducted to understand the impact of weather variability on biomass yield, determine optimal N fertilization and harvest timing management practices for sustainable biomass production, and estimate economic viability at six CRP sites in the United States. Precipitation during the growing season was a critical factor for annual biomass production across all regions, and annual biomass production was severely reduced when growing season precipitation was below 50% of average. The N rate of 112 kg ha−1 produced the highest biomass yield at each location. Harvest timing resulting in the highest biomass yield was site‐specific and was a factor of predominant grass type, seasonal precipitation, and the number of harvests taken per year. The use of N fertilizer for yield enhancement unambiguously increased the cost of biomass regardless of the harvest timing for all six sites. The breakeven price of biomass at the farmgate ranged from $37 to $311 Mg−1 depending on the rate of N application, timing of harvesting, and location when foregone opportunity costs were not considered. Breakeven prices ranged from $69 to $526 Mg−1 when the loss of CRP land rental payments was included as an opportunity cost. Annual cost of the CRP to the federal government could be reduced by over 8% in the states included in this study; however, this would require the biomass price to be much higher than in the case where the landowner receives the CRP land rent. This field research demonstrated the importance of long‐term, farm‐scale research for accurate estimation of biomass feedstock production and economic viability from perennial grasslands.
Design of the Mobility and Independent Living in Elders Study: An older adult cohort in rural India
Authors: Singh Tushar , Sharma Pawan K , Jammy Guru Rajesh , Cauley Jane A , Bunker Clareann H , Reddy PS , Newman Anne B
Published: December 2015

Aim

The Mobility and Independent Living in Elders Study (MILES) was established in 2012 to estimate the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for disability and age‐related disease in rural older Indians. Here we describe the main goals of MILES, the essential elements of its design and examinations, and the initial findings from the baseline visit.

Methods

A random sample of 562 men and women aged ≥60 years was enrolled from the Medchal region in Telangana State. Baseline examination consisted of two separate clinical visits, and included measurements of blood pressure, anthropometry, physical function, peripheral artery disease, cognitive function, bone and muscle quality, knee osteoarthritis, carotid intima‐media thickness, and blood biomarkers. A comprehensive interview was carried out for demographics, disability and disease history. Annual follow‐up visits are ongoing to collect information on incident disability and disease.

Results

The median age of participants was 66 years (range 60–92 years); median body mass index 21.7 kg/m2, median gait speed 0.67 m/s and 55% self‐reported their health status as fair or poor.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a more frail population in the MILES cohort compared with older adults in USA cohorts. MILES will provide estimates of burden of disease, and disability and risk factors in older adults. Findings will be used to identify potential interventions to prevent disability in this rural Indian population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 31–40.
Effects of gum chewing exercises on saliva secretion and occlusal force in community‐dwelling elderly individuals: A pilot study
Authors: Nakagawa Kazuharu , Matsuo Koichiro , Takagi Daisuke , Morita Yu , Ooka Takafumi , Hironaka Shouji , Mukai Yoshiharu
Published: December 2015

Aim

Elderly individuals face the risk of reductions in saliva secretion and occlusal force caused by systemic diseases or medications that can eventually result in malnutrition and systemic complications. We tested the hypothesis that regular gum chewing exercises (GCE) would enhance saliva secretion and occlusal force in an elderly population.

Methods

A total of 12 community‐dwelling elderly individuals (3 men and 9 women) participated in this study after providing informed consent. Participants carried out GCE regimens using a soft gum (GCE‐S) or hard gum (GCE‐H) for 2 weeks each, with a 2‐week rest period between trials. Mucosal moisture on the tongue surface, resting saliva, and occlusal force were measured before and after each test gum, and changes in parameters at relevant time‐points were statistically analyzed. Differences in each measurement item were assessed using the Friedman test for before and after the GCE. We used the Holm's correction for multiple comparisons if the Friedman test results were significant. The critical value for rejecting the null hypothesis was set at P < 0.05.

Results

Resting saliva secretion significantly increased after GCE‐S, returned to baseline levels during the rest period and significantly increased again after GCE‐H. Mucosal moisture and occlusal force followed a similar trend, with a significant rise after GCE‐H.

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest that GCE can increase resting saliva secretion and occlusal force in elderly individuals. Further investigations are required on the appropriate use of soft and hard gums to address oral frailty in elderly individuals. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 48–53.
Predictors of chewing ability among community‐residing older adults in Korea
Authors: Park Kyongok , Hong Gwi‐Ryung Son
Published: December 2015

Aims

Decreased chewing ability in older adults can lead to poor nutritional and physical conditions, and eventually death. The present study examined the relationships between chewing ability and related characteristics (e.g. health promotion habits, health status and functional status), and identified predictors of chewing ability in community‐residing older adults.

Methods

Among the total of 11 542 participants in the 2011 National Survey on Older Adults in Korea, data from 10 543 participants were used for analysis. Chewing ability was evaluated using a self‐report of chewing ability. Exercise ability was assessed by objective exercise ability and perceived exercise ability in both the upper and lower extremities. Depression and cognitive functions were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale‐Short Form and the Mini‐Mental State Examination, respectively.

Results

A total of 56.9% of participants had poor chewing abilities. After adjusting for age and sex, logistic regression analysis showed that depression (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.60–1.92), cognitive impairment (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17–1.40), objective exercise ability (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11–1.41), regular exercise habits (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.13–1.34), medical check‐up history (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05–1.32), number of chronic diseases (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.09–1.15) and perceived exercise ability in the lower extremities (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.10) were significant predictors of chewing ability.

Conclusion

Chewing ability in older adults should be improved in consideration of mental and general health condition. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 78–84.
Clinical trials update 2015: Year in review
Authors: Peroutka Stephen J.
Published: December 2015

This section of Headache annually reviews the status of recently completed and ongoing major clinical trials involving common headache disorders. The review will focus on multicenter trials of new therapies, as well as novel formulations of previously approved therapeutics. The Table summarizes the major therapeutic headache trials that were ongoing at the end of 2015, according to data obtained from both the “ClinicalTrials.Gov” website and from corporate press releases and presentations.
International trends in health science librarianship part 17: a comparison of health science libraries with academic and research libraries
Authors: Murphy Jeannette
Published: December 2015

Over the last 4 years this Regular Feature has looked at trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. Although there are still a few more regions to be covered in this series, this issue explores general trends in academic and research libraries with a view to discovering whether the trends identified for health science libraries are similar. Are health science libraries unique? Or do their experiences mirror those found in the wider world of academic and research libraries?

JM
Effect of tibial nerve stimulation on bladder afferent nerve activity in a rat detrusor overactivity model
Authors: Choudhary Mahipal , van Mastrigt Ron , van Asselt Els
Published: December 2015

Objectives

To study the post‐stimulation effect of tibial nerve stimulation on rat bladder afferent activity, and urodynamic parameters in normal and acetic acid‐induced detrusor overactivity conditions.

Methods

In urethane anesthetized male Wistar rats, the tibial nerve was stimulated for 30 min at 5 Hz, pulse width 200 μs and amplitude approximately threefold the threshold to induce a slight toe movement. The post‐stimulation effect was studied by measuring afferent nerve activity of postganglionic pelvic nerve branches and various urodynamic parameters under two different conditions: (i) in physiological saline filling experiments (simulating normal bladder condition); and (ii) in acetic acid irritated bladders (simulating detrusor overactivity).

Results

After 30 min of tibial nerve stimulation in saline filling experiments, the bladder capacity, threshold pressure and afferent nerve activity were not significantly different from the prestimulation measurements. The instillation of 0.5% acetic acid significantly reduced the bladder capacity and increased the afferent nerve activity. Tibial nerve stimulation significantly improved the bladder capacity and suppressed the afferent nerve activity compared with prestimulation acetic acid measurements.

Conclusions

Tibial nerve stimulation is able to significantly restore the bladder capacity by inhibiting afferent nerve activity in chemically irritated rat bladders. The present study provides important basic electrophysiological evidence to substantiate the clinical use of tibial nerve stimulation for treatment of symptoms related to detrusor overactivity.
Recruitment to Occupations with a Surplus of Workers: The Unexpected Outcomes of Swedish Demand‐Driven Labour Migration Policy
Authors: Emilsson Henrik
Published: December 2015

This article studies the outcomes of the 2008 labour‐migration policy change in Sweden, when most state control was abolished and an employer‐led selection was introduced. The main goal was to increase labour migration from third countries to occupational sectors experiencing labour shortages. The article compares the volume, composition and labour‐market status of labour migrants who arrived before the change in the law with those who arrived after. Labour migrants from EU countries are used as a control group to assess any eventual influence from non‐migration policy determinants. The main outcome of the policy change is that non‐EU labour migration increased – an effect entirely due to the rise in labour migration to surplus occupations. Changes in the composition of the labour migrants explains why those who came after the law change have, on average, a worse labour market position.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and wound healing: the functional role of ROS and emerging ROS‐modulating technologies for augmentation of the healing process
Authors: Dunnill Christopher , Patton Thomas , Brennan James , Barrett John , Dryden Matthew , Cooke Jonathan , Leaper David , Georgopoulos Nikolaos T
Published: December 2015

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in the orchestration of the normal wound‐healing response. They act as secondary messengers to many immunocytes and non‐lymphoid cells, which are involved in the repair process, and appear to be important in coordinating the recruitment of lymphoid cells to the wound site and effective tissue repair. ROS also possess the ability to regulate the formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) at the wound site and the optimal perfusion of blood into the wound‐healing area. ROS act in the host's defence through phagocytes that induce an ROS burst onto the pathogens present in wounds, leading to their destruction, and during this period, excess ROS leakage into the surrounding environment has further bacteriostatic effects. In light of these important roles of ROS in wound healing and the continued quest for therapeutic strategies to treat wounds in general and chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous and arterial leg ulcers and pressure ulcers in particular, the manipulation of ROS represents a promising avenue for improving wound‐healing responses when they are stalled. This article presents a review of the evidence supporting the critical role of ROS in wound healing and infection control at the wound site, and some of the new emerging concepts associated with ROS modulation and its potential in improving wound healing are discussed.
ANCIENT GREEK ETHNICITIES: TOWARDS A REASSESSMENT
Authors: HALL JONATHAN M.
Published: December 2015

This paper offers a response to Kostas Vlassopoulos' ‘Ethnicity and Greek History: Re-examiningour Assumptions’, especially his comments about the unit of analysis that we should adopt in studying ancient ethnicity, the relationship between ethnicity and nationalism, and the limitations of testing evidence against definitional models. It also considers the role that religious ritual played in professions of ethnicity as well as the heuristic utility in distinguishing between ‘aggregative’ and ‘oppositional’ identities or between ‘ethnic’ or ‘cultural’ definitions of Hellenic identity. Finally, it questions prevailing opinions about the relationship between ethnicity and the ethnic group.
PROVERBS IN HERODOTUS' DIALOGUE BETWEEN SOLON AND CROESUS (1.30‐33): METHODOLOGY AND ‘MAKING SENSE’ IN THE STUDY OF GREEK RELIGION
Authors: ELLIS B. ANTHONY
Published: December 2015

Summary: Several influential scholars have recently argued that Herodotus' thought about the gods and historical causation is inconsistent and ‘proverbial’ in nature, and these conclusions have been used to support far-reachingtheories about the nature of ancient Greek religion and archaic thought. Taking the Croesus logos as a case study, I question some of the philosophical premises and methodological practices employed in recent arguments for Herodotus' inconsistency. I argue that much analysis is based on a reductive treatment of key words or phrases (often classed as ‘proverbs’) in isolation from their immediate context. I also argue that stronger claims about the difference between ancient religious/proverbial thought and modern, secular thought rely on circular reasoning. Finally I explore alternative approaches to the interpretation of the theology of Herodotus' Croesus logos, discussing examples from humanist apologetics to literary analysis in the twenty-firstcentury. In exploring various approaches to Herodotean exegesis I offer a new analysis of several key concepts (divine nemesis, divine phthonos, sumphorē) and reassess the dynamics of the dialogue between Solon and Croesus.
Fibroblast VEGF‐receptor 1 expression as molecular target in periodontitis
Authors: Ohshima Mitsuhiro , Yamaguchi Yoko , Ambe Kimiharu , Horie Masafumi , Saito Akira , Nagase Takahide , Nakashima Keisuke , Ohki Hidero , Kawai Toshihisa , Abiko Yoshimitsu , Micke Patrick , Kappert Kai
Published: December 2015

Aim

Degradation of extracellular matrices is an integral part in periodontitis. For antagonizing this pathophysiological mechanism, we aimed at identifying gene expression profiles in disease progression contributing periodontitis‐associated fibroblasts (PAFs) versus normal gingival fibroblasts to determine their molecular repertoire, and exploit it for therapeutic intervention.

Materials and Methods

Applying an exploratory analysis using a small number of microarrays in combination with a three dimensional (3D) in vitro culture model that incorporates some aspects of periodontitis, PAFs were initially characterized by gene‐expression analyses, followed by targeted gene down‐regulation and pharmacological intervention in vitro. Further, immunohistochemistry was applied for phosphorylation analyses in tissue specimens.

Results

PAFs were characterized by 42 genes being commonly up‐regulated >1.5‐fold, and by five genes that were concordantly down‐regulated (<0.7‐fold). Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‐receptor 1 (Flt‐1) was highly enhanced, and was thus further explored in in vitro culture models of periodontal fibroblasts without accounting for the microbiome. Phosphorylation of the VEGF‐receptor 1 was enhanced in PAFs. Receptor inhibition by a specific VEGF‐receptor inhibitor or intrinsic down‐regulation by RNAi of the VEGF‐receptor kinase in 3D gel cultures resulted in significant reduction in collagen degradation associated with increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase expression, suggesting that Flt‐1 may contribute to periodontitis.

Conclusion

Based on the finding that VEGF‐receptor kinase inhibition impaired collagen degradation pathways, Flt‐1 may represent a candidate for therapeutic approaches in periodontitis.
Long‐term regular dental attendance and periodontal disease in the 1998 adult dental health survey
Authors: Karimalakuzhiyil Alikutty Fazeena , Bernabé Eduardo
Published: December 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore the association between long‐term pattern of dental attendance and periodontal disease among British adults.

Methods

We used data from 3272 adults who participated in the 1998 Adult Dental Health Survey in the UK. Participants were classified into four trajectories (current, always, former and never regular attenders) based on their responses to three questions on lifetime dental attendance patterns. The numbers of teeth with pocket depth (PD) ≥4 mm and loss of attachment (LOA) ≥4 mm were the outcome measures. The association between dental attendance patterns and each periodontal measure was assessed in crude and adjusted models using negative binomial regression.

Results

Never and former regular attenders had more teeth with PD ≥4 mm (Rate Ratios with 95% Confidence Interval: 1.58 [1.28–1.95] and 1.34 [1.12–1.60] respectively) and LOA ≥4 mm (1.34 [1.04–1.72] and 1.37 [1.07–1.75] respectively) than always regular attenders, after adjustments for demographic (sex, age and country of residence) and socioeconomic factors (education and social class). However, no differences in periodontal measures were found between always and current regular attenders.

Conclusion

This analysis of national cross‐sectional data shows that adults with different long‐term patterns of dental attendance have different periodontal health status.
Context‐dependent alarm signalling in an insect
Authors: de Bruijn P. J. A. , Egas M. , Sabelis M. W. , Groot A. T.
Published: December 2015

Animals often respond to danger by raising alarm to inform others. Alarm signals come in many different forms, such as visual or mechanical display, sound or odour. Some animals produce vocal alarm signals that vary with the level of danger. For chemical alarm signals, virtually nothing is known about such context‐dependent signalling due to a general notion that alarm pheromones have fixed compositions. Here, we show that larvae of the Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) produce an alarm pheromone whose composition varies with the level of danger they face: the presence of a relatively harmless predator or a very dangerous predator, that is either actually attacking or not. The frequency of alarm pheromone excretion increases with the level of danger. Moreover, the composition of excreted alarm pheromone varies in the relationship between total and relative amount of the putative two components, decyl acetate (DAc) and dodecyl acetate (DDAc). When pheromone is excreted with a predator present but not attacking, the percentage DDAc increases with the total amount of pheromone. When a predator does attack, however, the relationship between percentage DDAc and total amount of pheromone is reversed. Taken together, the alarm signal of thrips larvae appears to be context dependent, which to our knowledge is the first report of context‐dependent composition of an alarm pheromone.