bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colloidal Sol–Gel Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Nanoparticulate Nb2O5 Sols
Authors: Falk Gilberto , Borlaf Mario , Bendo Tatiana , Novaes de Oliveira Antonio Pedro , Rodrigues Neto João Batista , Moreno Rodrigo
Published: March 2016

A detailed study of a novel synthesis via colloidal sol–gel route for obtaining nanoparticulate Nb2O5 was performed. Parameters such as temperature and H+:Nb5+ and Nb5+:H2O molar ratios were controlled in order to determine the best conditions of synthesis. Moreover, particle size distribution, zeta potential, structure by X‐ray diffraction, and the photocatalytic activity of the particulate sols were also evaluated. The obtained results indicate that the colloidal sol–gel synthesis is a good alternative for obtaining Nb2O5 either as stable nanoparticulate sol or as a nanosized powder. Nb2O5 amorphous nanoparticles with an average size of 20 nm were obtained by controlling the synthesis variables. The heat‐treatment process allowed the formation of Nb2O5 with orthorhombic structure that transforms at higher temperatures to monoclinic phase. The highest photocatalytic activity was observed under λ = 365 nm, the smallest UV energy used in the experimental tests.
Influence of self‐care advice on patient satisfaction and healthcare utilization
Authors: Gustafsson Silje , Martinsson Jesper , Wälivaara Britt‐Marie , Vikman Irene , Sävenstedt Stefan
Published: March 2016

Aim

The aim of this study is to explore the influence of nurse‐led self‐care advice on healthcare utilization and patients' satisfaction with telephone nursing.

Background

Many consultations in high‐cost settings are for conditions that are manageable through self‐care and callers with greater satisfaction with the nurse interaction are nearly four times more likely to engage in self‐care.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Methods

Questionnaires were sent out to 500 randomly selected callers to the Swedish Healthcare Direct in Northern Sweden during March 2014. Callers were asked about their satisfaction with the consultation, their intended actions prior to consultation, the recommendation given by the nurse and the action undertaken after the call.

Results

Young callers and persons recommended watchful waiting or recurrence if no improvements were significantly less satisfied with their care. When calling on their own behalf, both men and women rated the severity of their symptoms equally and were advised to self‐care to the same extent. Self‐care advice had a constricting influence on self‐reported healthcare utilization, with 66·1% of cases resulting in a lower level of care than first intended. Feeling reassured after the call was the aspect of nursing care that influenced satisfaction the most.

Conclusion

Receiving self‐care advice rather than referral to a general practitioner influences patient satisfaction negatively. Feeling reassured after consultation is strongly related to satisfaction, which in turn has been found to increase the likelihood of engaging in self‐care behaviour.
Fiduciary Duties and the Ethics of Public Apology
Authors: MacLachlan Alice
Published: March 2016

The practice of official apology has a fairly poor reputation. Dismissed as ‘crocodile tears’ or cheap grace, such apologies are often seen by the public as an easy alternative to more punitive or expensive ways of taking real responsibility. I focus on what I call the role‐playing criticism: the argument that someone who offers an apology in public cannot be appropriately apologetic precisely because they are only playing a role. I offer a qualified defence of official apologies against this objection, considering them through the lens of fiduciary duties. This focus draws our attention to formal or impersonal relationships that are nevertheless normatively rich, capable of sustaining trust, concern, and care. At the same time, I highlight several pitfalls for fiduciary apologisers, including the tension between apology as a mode of truth telling and the duty of confidentiality. I consider whether the fiduciary apologiser, in reflecting on her fiduciary obligations, has ‘one thought too many’ for genuine apology, and argue that the issue of mixed motives is not limited to fiduciary contexts, cautioning against excessive idealism in our conception of apology. I conclude with some reflections on possible conflicts between fiduciary obligations and the conscientious desire to apologise.
Does the Starting Point Matter? The Literature‐Driven and the Phenomenon‐Driven Approaches of Using Corporate Archival Data in Academic Research
Authors: Cotteleer Mark J. , Wan Xiang
Published: March 2016

Despite recent and perhaps myopic criticisms of archival data with regard to supporting causal theoretical claims, it would be folly to disregard the exploratory and grounded theory development potential that these substantial, rich, and timely archives hold. The question then becomes one of how academics might tap into such archives. This paper considers this issue from a pragmatic perspective, drawing on the experiences of various academics with extensive experience in constructing data‐access relationships with industry. With the support of scholars who published their work using corporate archival data in leading academic journals, we suggest a phenomenon‐driven approach paralleled with the traditional literature‐driven approach in academic studies. This paper highlights best practices, pitfalls, and future opportunities, with the aim of serving as a guide for intrepid scholars interested in capitalizing on contemporary big data initiatives supported at many firms.
Sweating the Assets: Asset Leanness and Financial Performance in the Motor Carrier Industry
Authors: Fawcett Amydee M. , Jin Yao Henry , Hofer Christian , Waller Matthew A. , Brazhkin Vitaly
Published: March 2016

Originally adopted by the automotive manufacturers, lean management practices have since been applied to many other manufacturing industries. This study reviews the different theoretical perspectives on the leanness‐performance relationship in the context of the motor carriage industry. Drawing on both the lean management in logistics and organizational slack literatures, we develop hypotheses addressing the link between asset leanness and financial performance. These hypotheses are empirically tested using a comprehensive panel data set of 1,172 firm‐quarter observations from the U.S. publicly traded truckload motor carriers. Initially expecting an inverted U‐shaped relationship between asset leanness and performance, findings indicated a U‐shaped relationship, both for carriers' total assets and the subset of trailer assets.
Association between interleukin‐19 and angiopoietin‐2 with vascular complications in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Li Li , ZHeng‐Qing Yu , Juan‐Yu Hu , Jian‐Yong Xu , Fan Liu , Guang‐Chun Zhao , Lei Zhang , Hui‐Ming Gu , Si‐Jing Zhang , Meng Jin
Published: March 2016

Aims/Introduction

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of interleukin‐19 (IL‐19) in angiogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus with complications, and to assess the relationship of serum IL‐19 and angiopoietin‐2 (Ang‐2) in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Materials and Methods

The group studied comprised of 240 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (132 men and 108 women), and included macrovascular complications, microvascular complications and type 2 diabetes mellitus without vascular complications. The control group consisted of 50 healthy blood donors. All participants were evaluated for: IL‐19, Ang‐2, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin.

Results

The serum IL‐19 levels of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with angiopathy were found to be significantly higher compared with patients without angiopathy. IL‐19 levels were significantly positively correlated with Ang‐2, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance and glycosylated hemoglobin (r = 0.769, 0.523 and 0.491, respectively, P < 0.01). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, IL‐19 levels (P = 0.01) were found to be independently associated with patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complications.

Conclusions

These data are the first to implicate the association between the IL‐19 and type 2 diabetes mellitus with vascular complications. IL‐19 is significantly positively correlated with Ang‐2. The potential role of IL‐19 and Ang‐2 in the pathogenesis of vascular complications in type 2 diabetes could warrant further study.
Care‐Delivery Interventions to Manage Agitation and Aggression in Dementia Nursing Home and Assisted Living Residents: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Jutkowitz Eric , Brasure Michelle , Fuchs Erika , Shippee Tetyana , Kane Rosalie A. , Fink Howard A. , Butler Mary , Sylvanus Tonye , Kane Robert L.
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of nonpharmacological care‐delivery interventions (staff training, care‐delivery models, changes to the environment) to reduce and manage agitation and aggression in nursing home and assisted living residents.

Design

Three bibliographic databases, references of systematic reviews, ClincalTrials.gov, and the International Controlled Trials Registry Platform were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials reporting behavioral outcomes for nonpharmacological care‐delivery interventions in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Five investigators independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data, rated risk of bias, and graded strength of evidence. Inclusion was limited to studies with low to moderate risk of bias.

Setting

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Participants

Facility caregiving staff.

Measurements

Agitation, aggression, antipsychotic and other psychotropic use, general behavior.

Results

Nineteen unique studies met entry criteria, addressing several categories of facility caregiver training interventions: dementia care mapping (DCM; n = 3), person‐centered care (PCC; n = 3), clinical protocols to reduce the use of antipsychotic and other psychotropic drugs (n = 3), and emotion‐oriented care (n = 2). Eleven additional studies evaluated other unique interventions. Results were pooled for the effect of each type of intervention on agitation and aggression: DCM (standardized mean difference −0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.66 to 0.42), PCC (standardized mean difference −0.15, 95% CI = −0.67 to 0.38), and protocols to reduce antipsychotic and other psychotropic use (Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory mean difference −4.5, 95% C = −38.84 to 29.93). Strength of evidence was generally insufficient to draw conclusions regarding efficacy or comparative effectiveness.

Conclusion

Evidence was insufficient regarding the efficacy of nonpharmacological care‐delivery interventions to reduce agitation or aggression in nursing home and assisted living facility residents with dementia.
Prediction of Cognitive and Functional Decline Using the Telephone‐Administered Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen
Authors: Tremont Geoffrey , Papandonatos George D. , Kelley Patrick , Bryant Kimberly , Galioto Rachel , Ott Brian R.
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To examine whether a telephone‐based cognitive assessment—the Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen (MCAS)—is effective in predicting cognitive and functional decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and conversion to dementia.

Design

Longitudinal.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Participants

Individuals aged 60 to 84 with MCI (N = 61).

Measurements

An initial office visit consisting of a neurological examination, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR), and neuropsychological testing using the Dementia Rating Scale‐2 (DRS‐2), followed by the MCAS within 1 month. Participants completed up to three follow‐up in‐office neuropsychological assessments, originally scheduled 1 year apart. A multidisciplinary consensus group determined diagnosis (MCI, dementia) at each assessment.

Results

Higher baseline MCAS total scores emerged as a significant predictor of slower functional decline (P = .002) and dementia conversion (P = .02). An increase in score from 43 to 50 points (1st to 3rd quartile) was associated with a 0.59‐point (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.23–0.95) lower CDR score at follow‐up, and a 71% (95% CI = 1.11–2.63) increase in median time to dementia conversion from 2 years to 3.5 years. Of the MCAS subscales, delayed word recall predicted functional decline alone (P < .001), whereas computation was nominally associated with cognitive (P = .01) and functional (P = .01) decline.

Conclusion

The brief telephone‐administered MCAS provides valuable information about future cognitive and functional decline in older adults with MCI and predicted conversion from MCI to dementia. These findings provide additional support for use of MCAS in clinical and research settings. The instrument may be particularly valuable in settings in which an office visit is difficult.
Common Components of Efficacious In‐Home End‐of‐Life Care Programs: A Review of Systematic Reviews
Authors: Bainbridge Daryl , Seow Hsien , Sussman Jonathan
Published: March 2016

Multiple randomized controlled trials on in‐home end‐of‐life (EOL) programs, often with multifaceted and varying components, have shown benefits and reduced costs. The objective of this review was to determine which components of these programs are most commonly associated with better outcomes than usual care. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from 2003 to 2014 for reviews of studies of in‐home programs treating individuals with advanced illness. Original quantitative studies were included from these reviews, and the details of every program that had a significant positive effect on any outcome measured were extracted. Nineteen reviews met the inclusion criteria, from which 40 relevant studies were identified. Thirty unique components emerged from the content analysis of the program descriptions. On average, each program contained 11 components; the six most common were linkage with acute care, multidisciplinary nature, EOL expertise and training, holistic care, pain and symptom management, and professional psychosocial support. Linkage, around‐the‐clock availability, and customized care planning were most common to the nine interventions for which a significant cost reduction was reported. Efficacious in‐home EOL programs comprised multiple components. Knowledge of these features can help inform the design of this care in local contexts that will more likely improve outcomes for individuals in an effective and cost‐efficient manner.
Health Values and Treatment Goals of Older, Multimorbid Adults Facing Life‐Threatening Illness
Authors: Naik Aanand D. , Martin Lindsey A. , Moye Jennifer , Karel Michele J.
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To identify a taxonomy of health‐related values that frame goals of care of older, multimorbid adults who recently faced cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Design

Qualitative analysis of data from a longitudinal cohort study of multimorbid cancer survivors.

Setting

Cancer registries from regional Department of Veterans Affairs networks in New England and southeast Texas.

Participants

Multimorbid adults who completed interviews 12 months after diagnosis of head and neck, colorectal, gastric, or esophageal cancer and after cancer treatment (N = 146).

Measurements

An interdisciplinary team conducted thematic analyses of participants’ intuitive responses to two questions: Now that you have had cancer and may face ongoing decisions about medical care in the future, what would you want your family, friends, and doctors to know about you, in terms of what is most important to you in your life? If your cancer were to recur, is there anything you'd want to be sure your loved ones knew about you and your goals of care?

Results

Analysis revealed five distinct health‐related values that guide how multimorbid cancer survivors conceptualize specific health care goals and medical decisions: self‐sufficiency, life enjoyment, connectedness and legacy, balancing quality and length of life, and engagement in care. Participants typically endorsed more than one value as important.

Conclusion

Older multimorbid adults who recently faced life‐threatening cancer endorsed a multidimensional taxonomy of health‐related values. These health‐related values guide how they frame their goals for care and treatment preferences. Eliciting individuals’ sense of their values during clinical encounters may improve their experiences with health care and more effectively align treatments with goals of care.
Efficacy and Safety of Canagliflozin in Individuals Aged 75 and Older with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pooled Analysis
Authors: Sinclair Alan J. , Bode Bruce , Harris Stewart , Vijapurkar Ujjwala , Shaw Wayne , Desai Mehul , Meininger Gary
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To compare the efficacy and safety of canagliflozin, a sodium glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor developed to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), in individuals younger than 75 and those aged 75 and older.

Design

Randomized Phase 3 studies.

Setting

International study centers.

Participants

Adults with T2DM.

Measurements

Changes from baseline in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), blood pressure (BP), and body weight were measured. Efficacy was evaluated using pooled data from six randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled studies (N = 4,158; n = 3,975 aged <75, n = 183 aged ≥75). Safety was assessed based on adverse event (AE) reports from eight randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐ and active‐controlled studies (N = 9,439; n = 8,949 aged <75, n = 490 aged ≥75).

Results

Canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg were associated with placebo‐subtracted mean reductions in HbA1c in participants younger than 75 (−0.69% and −0.85%, respectively) and aged 75 and older (−0.65% and −0.55%, respectively). Dose‐related reductions in FPG, body weight, and BP were seen with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg in participants in both age groups. Overall AE incidence was 67.1% with canagliflozin 100 mg, 68.6% with canagliflozin 300 mg, and 65.9% with non‐canagliflozin (pooled group of comparators in all studies) in participants younger than 75, and 72.4%, 79.1%, and 72.3%, respectively, in those aged 75 and older, with a similar safety profile in both groups. The incidence of volume depletion–related AEs was 2.2%, 3.1%, and 1.4% in participants younger than 75 with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg and non‐canagliflozin, respectively, and 4.9%, 8.7%, and 2.6%, respectively, in those aged 75 and older.

Conclusion

Canagliflozin improved glycemic control, body weight, and BP in participants aged 75 and older. The overall incidence of AEs was high across treatment groups in participants aged 75 and older and higher than in those younger than 75. The safety profile of canagliflozin was generally similar in both age groups, with a higher incidence of AEs related to volume depletion observed with canagliflozin in participants aged 75 and older than in those younger than 75. These findings support canagliflozin, starting with the 100‐mg dose, as an effective therapeutic option for older adults with T2DM.
Multifaceted Prospective Memory Intervention to Improve Medication Adherence
Authors: Insel Kathie C. , Einstein Gilles O. , Morrow Daniel G. , Koerner Kari M. , Hepworth Joseph T.
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To test whether a multifaceted prospective memory intervention improved adherence to antihypertensive medications and to assess whether executive function and working memory processes moderated the intervention effects.

Design

Two‐group longitudinal randomized control trial.

Setting

Community.

Participants

Individuals aged 65 and older without signs of dementia or symptoms of severe depression who were self‐managing prescribed medication.

Measurements

After 4 weeks of initial adherence monitoring using a medication event monitoring system, individuals with 90% or less adherence were randomly assigned to groups.

Intervention

The prospective memory intervention was designed to provide strategies that switch older adults from relying on executive function and working memory processes (that show effects of cognitive aging) to mostly automatic associative processes (that are relatively spared with normal aging) for remembering to take medications. Strategies included establishing a routine, establishing cues strongly associated with medication taking actions, performing the action immediately upon thinking about it, using a medication organizer, and imagining medication taking to enhance encoding and improve cuing.

Results

There was significant improvement in adherence in the intervention group (57% at baseline to 78% after the intervention), but most of these gains were lost after 5 months. The control condition started at 68% and was stable during the intervention, but dropped to 62%. Executive function and working memory moderated the intervention effect, with the intervention producing greater benefit for those with lower executive function and working memory.

Conclusion

The intervention improved adherence, but the benefits were not sustained. Further research is needed to determine how to sustain the substantial initial benefits.
A morphological adaptation? The prevalence of enlarged external occipital protuberance in young adults
Authors: Shahar David , Sayers Mark G. L.
Published: March 2016

Enthesophytes are bony projections that arise from the sites of ligament, tendon or joint capsule attachment to a bone. They are seen rarely in radiographic findings in young adults, as these bony adaptations are assumed to develop slowly over time. However, in recent years, the presence of an enlarged external occipital protuberance (EEOP) has been observed frequently in radiographs of relatively young patients at the clinic of the lead author. Accordingly, the aim of this project was to assess the prevalence of an EEOP in a young adult population. Analysis involved a retrospective analysis of 218 lateral cervical radiographic studies of 18–30‐year‐old participants. Group A (n = 108; males = 45, females = 63) consisted of asymptomatic university students, while Group B (n = 110; males = 50, females = 60) were an age‐matched mildly symptomatic, non‐student population. The external occipital protuberance (EOP) size was defined as the distance from the most superior point of the EOP (origin) to a point on the EOP that is most distal from the skull. To avoid ambiguity, the threshold for recording the size of an EOP was set at 5 mm, and an EOP was classified as enlarged if it exceeded 10 mm. Reliability testing was also undertaken. Results indicated that an EEOP was present in 41% of the total population, with 10% of all participants presenting with an EOP ≥ 20 mm. An EEOP was significantly more common in males (67.4%) than in females (20.3%), with the mean EEOP size for the combined male population (15 ± 7 mm) being significantly larger (P < 0.001) than for females (10 ± 4 mm). The longest EEOP in the male population was 35.7 mm, while in the female population it was 25.5 mm. Additionally, the mean EEOP size for Group A (14 ± 7 mm) was also significantly greater (P = 0.006) than that recorded for Group B (12 ± 6 mm). This study identified that an EEOP is a condition that is prevalent in the populations tested. The age of the populations, and the prevalence of EEOP, suggest that biomechanical drivers for this phenomenon may be the main reason for this condition in these populations.
From Extensive to Involutionary Growth: A Dialectic Interpretation of the Boom and Busts of Cocoa Production in the Gold Coast
Authors: Green Erik
Published: March 2016

African economic history has undergone impressive revitalization in the past decade. Much of the recent work is, quite naturally, inspired by developments in economic history at large, and increasingly – indirectly or directly – using markets as the organizing principle in understanding how economies evolve over time. More specifically, recent work assumes that markets create the possibility to use resources more efficiently, which, theoretically, enables economies to grow as long as institutions adjust and enable the population to exploit the arising opportunities. That is, the current works in African economic history are to a large extent grounded in Smithian growth models, labelled after Adam Smith's work on the mechanisms of long‐term growth. This paper critically discusses the explanatory value of the Smithian growth models for understanding the long‐term economic development in Africa. The latter is best described as recurrent growth episodes, and we argue that while Smithian models can account for initial periods of growth, they fail to explain why the growth was not sustained. We use the boom and busts of cocoa production in Ghana in the twentieth century as a case in point. We show that the decline in cocoa production was not caused by state policies distorting the functions of the markets, as the Smithian growth models suggest. Instead, the decline in production was an outcome of changes in the ecological and institutional conditions that caused the initial growth. The irony is that it was the initial growth in cocoa production that altered the conditions, making further growth in production impossible. We capture these changes – for the first time ever – by combining the concepts of forest rents and involutionary growth in an African case.
Safety surveillance in haemophilia and allied disorders
Authors: Lassila R. , Makris M.
Published: March 2016

The introduction of clotting factor concentrates has transformed the lives of persons with inherited bleeding disorders. With the use of prophylactic treatment, it is now possible to prevent bleeding in these individuals. The early concentrates were contaminated with the HIV and hepatitis C viruses (HCV) and resulted in major morbidity and mortality in the recipients. Current products are much safer, especially in terms of infectious agents, but other adverse events such as alloantibodies (inhibitors), allergic reactions and thrombotic risks remain of concern. Approximately 30% of previously untreated patients with severe haemophilia A develop inhibitors, making this the most important issue in haemophilia care today. Recently, it was suggested that one of the most commonly used concentrates was associated with a higher inhibitor risk, but this was not supported by the evidence from all studies. Good safety surveillance systems are essential for all diseases and products but are particularly so in the group of individuals with inherited bleeding disorders treated with clotting factor concentrates who have suffered disproportionately from the adverse effects of their treatment. National and multinational systems are now in place to allow reporting of adverse events in patients with inherited bleeding disorders. All clinicians treating individuals with inherited bleeding disorders should prospectively report adverse events to treatment even if they are believed to be common and well recognized.
My Pride and Joy? Predicting Favoritism and Disfavoritism in Mother–Adult Child Relations
Authors: Jill Suitor J. , Gilligan Megan , Peng Siyun , Con Gulcin , Rurka Marissa , Pillemer Karl
Published: March 2016

In this article, we compare predictors of mothers' differentiation among their adult children regarding emotional closeness, pride, conflict, and disappointment. We distinguish between predictors of relational (closeness, conflict) and evaluative (pride, disappointment) dimensions of favoritism and disfavoritism. Multilevel modeling using data collected from 381 older mothers regarding their relationships with 1,421 adult children indicated that adult children's similarity of values played the most prominent role in predicting mothers' favoritism and disfavoritism, followed by children's gender. Children's deviant behaviors in adulthood predicted both pride and disappointment but neither relational dimension. Contrary to expectations, the quantitative analysis indicated that children's normative adult achievements were poor predictors of both relational and evaluative dimensions of mothers' differentiation. Qualitative data shed additional light on mothers' evaluations by revealing that disappointment was shaped by children's achievements relative to their mothers' values and expectations, rather than by the achievement of specific societal, educational, career, and marital milestones.
Dental Applications of Natural‐Origin Polymers in Hard and Soft Tissue Engineering
Authors: Jazayeri Hossein E. , Fahmy Mina D. , Razavi Mehdi , Stein Brett E. , Nowman Aatif , Masri Radi M. , Tayebi Lobat
Published: March 2016

Clinical advances in the treatment of dentoalveolar defects continue to evolve with the introduction of new innovations in regenerative medicine and tissue bioengineering. Recent developments in tissue engineering are aimed at safely and effectively regenerating a damaged or necrotic area by replenishing its cells and increasing surrounding gene expression. Various techniques have successfully given rise to porous scaffolds being used by clinicians to treat the defect and initiate the repair process. Tissue reconstruction using bioengineered scaffolds is advantageous over traditional autografting, since it prevents the instigation of pain and donor site morbidity while ultimately creating both the environment and machinery needed to induce cell proliferation, migration, and reattachment within the affected area. This review article aims to describe and review the available literature regarding the regenerative capacity of natural polymers used for the treatment of dentoalveolar defects. The repair mechanisms, advantages of protein and polysaccharide derivatives, and the potential of stem cell therapy are discussed.
Long‐Term Effects of an Extensive Cognitive Training on Personality Development
Authors: Sander Julia , Schmiedek Florian , Brose Annette , Wagner Gert G. , Specht Jule
Published: March 2016

Previous research found that cognitive training increases the Big Five personality trait Openness to Experience during and some weeks after the intervention. The present study investigated whether long‐term changes happen in Openness to Experience and other personality traits after an extensive cognitive training of memory and perceptual speed. The intervention group consisted of 204 adults (20–31 years and 65–80 years; 50% female) who received daily 1‐hour cognitive training sessions for about 100 days. The control group consisted of 86 adults (21–29 years and 65–82 years; 51% female) who received no cognitive training. All participants answered the NEO Five‐Factor Inventory before and 2 years after the cognitive training. Latent change models were applied that controlled for age group (young vs. old) and gender. In the long run, the cognitive training did not affect changes in any facet of Openness to Experience. This was true for young and old participants as well as for men and women. Instead, the cognitive training lowered the general increase of Conscientiousness. Even an extensive cognitive training on memory and perceptual speed does not serve as a sufficient intervention for enduring changes in Openness to Experiences or one of its facets.
I Know My Story and I Know Your Story: Developing a Conceptual Framework for Vicarious Life Stories
Authors: Thomsen Dorthe Kirkegaard , Pillemer David B.
Published: March 2016

Vicarious life stories are mental representations of other people's life stories. We propose a conceptual framework that situates the study of vicarious life stories at the crossroads between personality and social cognition, identifies their potential functions, and describes possible connections between vicarious and personal life stories. Two preliminary studies compared chapters and specific memories in personal and close others' life stories in two groups of student participants. Ages associated with chapters and specific memories in personal and vicarious life stories showed similar temporal distributions. Emotion ratings of both personal and vicarious life story chapters were related to personality traits and self‐esteem, although relations were more consistent for personal chapters. In conclusion, personal and vicarious life stories share important similarities. Mental models of other people include vicarious life stories that serve to expand the self as well as facilitate understanding of others.
Systematic review of the prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis and management of meniscal injury in dogs: Part 2
Authors: McCready D. J. , Ness M. G.
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVE

To systematically evaluate the evidence reporting the diagnosis and management of meniscal injury in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament failure.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research questions relating to the accuracy of diagnostic techniques for meniscal injury and the effects of meniscal treatment were defined. An electronic database search of PubMed and CAB Abstracts was performed during March 2015. Data were extracted for study participants, design, intervention, outcome measures and results. Studies were evaluated using a validated instrument for assessing methodological quality and assigned a Quality Index score. A level of evidence was then assigned to each study.

RESULTS

Eighty‐nine studies were identified. The median Quality Index score was 14 out of a possible 26. Twenty‐seven studies were prospective case series, 31 retrospective case series, 16 animal research and 15 cadaveric studies. There were no class I or class II studies, 27 class III and 62 class IV studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a large number of publications the quality of evidence was generally low. No one study or combination of studies provided high quality evidence to support one diagnostic or surgical intervention over another for meniscal injuries in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament failure.
Enforcing IPRs Through Investor‐State Dispute Settlement: A Paradigm Shift in Global IP Practice
Authors: Upreti Pratyush Nath
Published: March 2016

Globally, we are moving towards stronger Intellectual Property Rights. Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) have become an integral part of the regulatory system and they are included in investment, regulations and trade policies. It is now important to understand the linkage between them. Recent practices of International Investment Agreements (IIAs) include intellectual property as a definition of investment, giving the investor an alternate forum to enforce their IP under International arbitration tribunal. International investment laws focus mostly on the rights of the investor and diverse opinions of generally accepted international principles such as fair and equitable treatment that encourage investors to litigate intellectual property through Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). This article will focus on the relationship between intellectual property and investment agreement in three aspects. The first part of the article will focus on how intellectual property is treated as an investment. The second part emphasizes how an investor uses an investment agreement as a tool to enforce intellectual property. The last part of the article highlights the possible impacts of litigating intellectual property under ISDS, particularly focusing on TRIPS flexibility.
Health impact of catch‐up growth in low‐birth weight infants: systematic review, evidence appraisal, and meta‐analysis
Authors: Martin Anne , Connelly Andrew , Bland Ruth M , Reilly John J
Published: March 2016

This study aimed to systematically review and appraise evidence on the short‐term (e.g. morbidity, mortality) and long‐term (obesity and non‐communicable diseases, NCDs) health consequences of catch‐up growth (vs. no catch‐up growth) in individuals with a history of low birth weight (LBW).We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, CINAHL plus, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis and reference lists. Study quality was assessed using the risk of bias assessment tool from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, and the evidence base was assessed using the GRADE tool. Eight studies in seven cohorts (two from high‐income countries, five from low‐middle‐income countries) met the inclusion criteria for short‐term (mean age: 13.4 months) and/or longer‐term (mean age: 11.1 years) health outcomes of catch‐up growth, which had occurred by 24 or 59 months. Of five studies on short‐term health outcomes, three found positive associations between weight catch‐up growth and body mass and/or glucose metabolism; one suggested reduced risk of hospitalisation and mortality with catch‐up growth. Three studies on longer‐term health outcomes found catch‐up growth were associated with higher body mass, BMI or cholesterol. GRADE assessment suggested that evidence quantity and quality were low. Catch‐up growth following LBW may have benefits for the individual with LBW in the short term, and may have adverse population health impacts in the long‐term, but the evidence is limited. Future cohort studies could address the question of the consequences of catch‐up growth following LBW more convincingly, with a view to informing future prevention of obesity and NCDs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
A quantitative study of tau pathology in 11 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Authors: Armstrong R. A. , McKee A. C. , Stein T. D. , Alvarez V. E. , Cairns N. J.
Published: March 2016

Aims

To quantify tau pathology of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and investigate influence of dot‐like lesions (DL), brain region, comorbidity and sporting career length.

Methods

Densities of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), astrocytic tangles (AT), DL, oligodendroglial inclusions (GI), neuropil threads (NT), vacuoles, neurons and enlarged neurons (EN) were measured in tau‐immunoreactive sections of upper cortical laminae of frontal and temporal lobes, hippocampus (HC), amygdala and substantia nigra (SN) in 11 cases of CTE.

Results

DL were a consistent finding in CTE. Densities of NFT, NT and DL were greatest in sectors CA1 and CA2 of the HC. Densities of AT were lower than NFT, small numbers of GI were recorded in temporal lobe and low densities of vacuoles and EN were consistently present. β‐Amyloid‐containing neuritic plaques (NP) also occurred at low density. Densities of NFT, NT, DL and AT were greater in sulci than gyri, while vacuole density was greater in gyri. Principal components analysis (PCA) suggested that sporting career length and densities of NFT in entorhinal cortex, NT in CA2 and SN and vacuolation in the DG were significant sources of variation among cases.

Conclusion

DL are frequent in CTE suggesting affinity with argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) and Parkinson's disease dementia (PD‐Dem). Densities of AT in all regions and NT/DL in sectors CA2/4 were consistent features of CTE. The 11 cases are neuropathologically heterogeneous which may result from genetic diversity, and variation in anatomical pathways subjected to trauma.
Evolutionary loss of light‐harvesting proteins Lhcb6 and Lhcb3 in major land plant groups – break‐up of current dogma
Authors: Kouřil Roman , Nosek Lukáš , Bartoš Jan , Boekema Egbert J. , Ilík Petr
Published: March 2016

Photosynthesis in plants and algae relies on the coordinated function of photosystems (PS) I and II. Their efficiency is augmented by finely‐tuned light‐harvesting proteins (Lhcs) connected to them. The most recent Lhcs (in evolutionary terms), Lhcb6 and Lhcb3, evolved during the transition of plants from water to land and have so far been considered to be an essential characteristic of land plants.

We used single particle electron microscopy and sequence analysis to study architecture and composition of PSII supercomplex from Norway spruce and related species.

We have found that there are major land plant families that lack functional lhcb6 and lhcb3 genes, which notably changes the organization of PSII supercomplexes. The Lhcb6 and Lhcb3 proteins have been lost in the gymnosperm genera Picea and Pinus (family Pinaceae) and Gnetum (Gnetales). We also revealed that the absence of these proteins in Norway spruce modifies the PSII supercomplex in such a way that it resembles its counterpart in the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, an evolutionarily older organism.

Our results break a deep‐rooted concept of Lhcb6 and Lhcb3 proteins being the essential characteristic of land plants, and beg the question of what the evolutionary benefit of their loss could be.
Gender (in)equality contested: externalising employment in the construction industry
Authors: Olofsdotter Gunilla , Rasmusson Maria
Published: March 2016

In construction and engineering, workers from different organisations work together, often on a project‐by‐project basis. Drawing on the theoretical framework of inequality regimes as presented by Acker (2006a), and the externalisation of employment relations presented by Kalleberg et al. (2003), this article investigates the gendered implications of the externalisation of technological work in the construction industry. The empirical material is based upon interviews and a questionnaire answered by regular employees, contracted staff and independent contractors working in the construction industry. The data reveal how non‐standard employments are parts of the organising processes that produce gendered inequalities between core and peripheral workers. This finding does not suggest that peripheral work indicates poor working conditions, to be more precise, peripheral workers can be in the most privileged positions.
Unrelated donor stem cell transplantation for transfusion‐dependent thalassemia
Authors: Shenoy Shalini , Thompson Alexis A.
Published: March 2016

Thalassemia major is characterized by severe anemia dependent on red cell transfusions from infancy. Conservative management requires a safe source of compatible blood throughout life, strategies to combat iron overload, monitoring and treatment of transfusion‐related complications, and management of cardiac and/or hepatic dysfunction from iron accumulation. Complications can result in premature morbidity and mortality. Stem cell transplantation is curative, but outcomes depend on the availability of a histocompatible donor, recipient age, and disease‐related complications. Successful transplantation requires stable donor engraftment and donor‐derived erythropoiesis and a low incidence of graft‐versus‐host disease, organ toxicities, and mortality. This translates to a cure with good quality of life and life span. Since recipients are at a high risk for graft rejection (prior transfusions, immunocompetency), myeloablative transplants have been the norm. Recent modifications to standard preparative regimens have significantly reduced transplant toxicities, resulting in >80% disease‐free survival in children. Aiming to further reduce regimen‐related toxicities, such as veno‐occlusive liver disease and sterility, a recent trial explored reduced‐intensity conditioning in unrelated donor (URD) transplants utilizing marrow or umbilical cord blood in patients without suitable familial donors. This report summarizes advances in URD transplantation for thalassemia, focusing on conditioning regimen nuances.
Management of iron overload before, during, and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia major
Authors: Angelucci Emanuele , Pilo Federica
Published: March 2016

Solid evidence has established the negative impact of high iron burden and related tissue damage on the outcome of hemopoietic stem cell transplantation for thalassemia major. Recent improvements in our knowledge of iron metabolism have been focused on elevated non‐transferrin‐bound iron and labile plasma iron levels in the peritransplantation period as potential contributors to tissue toxicity and subsequent adverse transplant outcome. As mouse models have shown, iron overload can injure bone marrow hematopoiesis by increasing reactive oxygen species. The Pesaro experience, conducted in the deferoxamine‐only era, clearly defined three iron‐related factors (liver fibrosis, hepatomegaly, and quality of lifelong chelation) as significantly affecting transplant outcome. The detrimental effect of iron has only been clarified in recent years. Active interventional strategies are ongoing. Although successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation clinically resolves the thalassemia marrow defect, patients still remain carriers of iron overload and of all the clinical complications acquired during prior years of transfusion therapy. Therefore, adequate “iron diagnosis” and management is mandatory after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. In transplanted thalassemia patients, body iron should be returned to within the normal range. Phlebotomy is the gold standard to reduce iron burden; though deferoxamine is a proven, acceptable alternative, clinical investigations on deferasirox are ongoing.
Genetic associations of the response to inhaled corticosteroids in children during an asthma exacerbation
Authors: Keskin Ozlem , Uluca Ünal , Birben Esra , Coşkun Yavuz , Ozkars Mehmet Yasar , Keskin Mehmet , Kucukosmanoglu Ercan , Kalayci Omer
Published: March 2016

Background

Genetic associations of the response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) during an asthma exacerbation are unknown.

Objective

To evaluate the role of genetic variants in the therapeutic response to high‐dose ICS in children with moderate‐to‐severe asthma exacerbations.

Methods

Eighty‐two children (56 boys/26 girls, mean age 9.6 ± 3.2 years) with moderate–severe asthma exacerbation were genotyped for eight single‐nucleotide polymorphisms that were a priori associated with ICS response in chronic asthma treatment: glucocorticosteroid receptor (NR3C1) rs41423247; corticotrophin‐releasing hormone receptor1 (CRHR1) rs242939, rs242941, and rs1876828; T‐box 21 (TBX21) rs2240017; glucocorticoid‐induced transcript 1 (GLCCl1); and T gene rs3099266 and rs2305089. Children were treated with a single high‐dose (4000 μg) fluticasone propionate given by a nebulizer followed by 1000 μg/day of inhaled fluticasone propionate for 6 days. Primary outcome measure was the improvement in FEV1 at 4 h.

Results

Mean FEV1 was 71.7 ± 14.2% at presentation. Overall, fluticasone treatment resulted in a significant improvement in asthma score and FEV1 (p < 0.0001 for both). Children with the GG genotype at NR3C1 rs41423247 (n = 26) had a higher improvement in FEV1 [24.2% (interquartile range 11.5–36.3)] compared to those with CG+CC (n = 19), [7.9% (interquartile range 6.1–24.6) (p = 0.006)].

Conclusion

Homozygosity for the G allele at rs41423247 of the glucocorticosteroid receptor (NR3C1) gene is associated with a higher improvement in FEV1 at 4 h in children with moderate‐to‐severe asthma exacerbation treated with high‐dose ICS. This observation may have important clinical implications especially for children who use systemic steroids frequently for recurrent asthma exacerbations.