bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Velocity of climate change algorithms for guiding conservation and management
Authors: Hamann Andreas , Roberts David R. , Barber Quinn E. , Carroll Carlos , Nielsen Scott E.
Published: October 2014

The velocity of climate change is an elegant analytical concept that can be used to evaluate the exposure of organisms to climate change. In essence, one divides the rate of climate change by the rate of spatial climate variability to obtain a speed at which species must migrate over the surface of the earth to maintain constant climate conditions. However, to apply the algorithm for conservation and management purposes, additional information is needed to improve realism at local scales. For example, destination information is needed to ensure that vectors describing speed and direction of required migration do not point toward a climatic cul‐de‐sac by pointing beyond mountain tops. Here, we present an analytical approach that conforms to standard velocity algorithms if climate equivalents are nearby. Otherwise, the algorithm extends the search for climate refugia, which can be expanded to search for multivariate climate matches. With source and destination information available, forward and backward velocities can be calculated allowing useful inferences about conservation of species (present‐to‐future velocities) and management of species populations (future‐to‐present velocities).
Geographies of Sexualities in Brazil: Between National Invisibility and Subordinate Inclusion in Postcolonial Networks of Knowledge Production
Authors: Silva Joseli Maria , Vieira Paulo Jorge
Published: October 2014

This article reviews and examines the production of literature on sexualities in Brazilian geography, through mapping and analysing the key authors, main topics and conceptual networks. The analysis considered all the articles published on sexualities (34 articles) in Brazilian geography from 1995 to 2012, combining a review of critical concepts and a methodology of social network analysis. The study shows there was an expansion in research on sexualities in Brazil, especially in the 2000s, with a particular emphasis on concepts of territoriality and the experience of travesti. This expansion coincided with the internationalisation of scientific production in Brazil and the achievements of the Brazilian LGBT rights movement. However, despite this increase, the article explores how scientific literature on sexualities in Brazilian geography appears to be concentrated in ghettos within Brazil and, on the international scale, how it is connected in a subordinate manner to networks that are formed by the coloniality of knowledge.
Change of carotid intima‐media thickness is associated with age in elderly Japanese patients without a history of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Watanabe Kentaro , Ouchi Motoshi , Ohara Makoto , Kameda Wataru , Susa Shinji , Oizumi Toshihide , Wada Manabu , Suzuki Tatsuya , Kawanami Toru , Oba Kenzo , Kato Takeo
Published: October 2014

Aim

The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the change of carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) and clinical characteristics in Japanese patients without a history of cardiovascular disease.

Methods

The study participants were 149 Japanese patients without a history of cardiovascular disease treated in our outpatient department. The in all participants CIMT was measured with ultrasonography at baseline and after a mean interval of 2.4 years. Study participants were divided into a middle‐aged group (younger than 65 years: n = 59) and an elderly group (65 years or older: n = 90). The annual CIMT change (ΔCIMT) was calculated, and the associations between ΔCIMT and clinical characteristics, including age, were evaluated in both groups.

Results

The ΔCIMT was significantly correlated with age in all participants (r = 0.222; P < 0.05) and in elderly participants (r = 0.234; P < 0.05), but was not correlated with other risk factors. The annual ΔCIMT was significantly higher in elderly participants (0.015 ± 0.096 mm) than in middle‐aged participants (–0.018 ± 0.088 mm; P < 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis with ΔCIMT as a dependent variable and risk factors as independent variables showed that ΔCIMT was significantly associated with age in all participants (β = 0.002; P < 0.05) and in elderly participants (β = 0.004; P < 0.05), but not with other risk factors.

Conclusions

Annual CIMT change is associated with age, rather than with other clinical characteristics, including traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes and hypertension, in elderly Japanese patients without a history of cardiovascular disease. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 1023–1030.
City Branding as a Response to Global Intercity Competition
Authors: Anttiroiko Ari‐Veikko
Published: October 2014

Globalisation is dramatically changing the context of urban communities and the premises for urban development policy. In the context of global intercity competition, cities' major goal is to increase their competitiveness, in which the positioning and attractiveness of a city have a critical function. Attraction‐oriented development strategies aim at effective absorption of external resources from the global space of flows. At the core of attraction strategy are business promotion activities with appealing incentives, but it is assumed that such a competition is risky and may lead to a race to the bottom. Therefore the emphasis is increasingly on less costly and more synergistic city marketing, which utilises city branding and “city profiling” that aim at attract high value‐adding services or high‐tech firms. This paper proposes a city attraction hypothesis that states that global intercity competition is essentially about a city's ability to attract the highest possible value from global flows of values in order to promote urban development. The result of such a global intercity competition determines cities' functions and positions in the global division of labour and thus in the global urban hierarchy, and ultimately determines their ability to increase prosperity and welfare in urban communities.
A pilot randomized control trial to evaluate the feasibility of an Internet‐based self‐management and transitional care program for youth with haemophilia
Authors: Breakey V. R. , Ignas D. M. , Warias A. V. , White M. , Blanchette V. S. , Stinson J. N.
Published: October 2014

Adolescents with haemophilia must assume responsibility for their health and management of their disease. An online self‐management program was developed to support adolescents during this transition. To determine the feasibility of the program using a randomized control trial (RCT) design in terms of accrual/attrition rates, willingness to be randomized, compliance with the program/outcome measures and satisfaction. Adolescents, ages 13–18, were enrolled in a pilot RCT (NCT01477437) and randomized to either the intervention (8‐week program with telephone coaching) or the control arm (no access to the website, weekly telephone call as attention‐strategy). All participants completed pre/postoutcome measures. Twenty‐nine teens participated (intervention n = 16, control n = 13). Participants in the intervention arm spent an average of 50 min on the website per week and completed the modules in an average of 14 weeks (SD = 4.9). Attrition was higher in the control group compared to the intervention group (54% vs. 25%). 17/18 (94%) who completed the program also completed the poststudy measures. Teens on the intervention arm showed significant improvement in disease‐specific knowledge (P = 0.004), self‐efficacy (P = 0.007) and transition preparedness (P = 0.046). There was a statistically significant improvement in knowledge in the intervention group when compared to the control group (P = 0.01). Overall, the teens found the website to be informative, comprehensive and easy to use and were satisfied with the program. This pilot RCT study suggests benefit to the program and indicates an RCT design to be feasible with minor adjustments to the protocol.
Recombinant factor VIIa enhances platelet deposition from flowing haemophilic blood but requires the contact pathway to promote fibrin deposition
Authors: Li R. , Panckeri K. A. , Fogarty P. F. , Diamond S. L.
Published: October 2014

In prior microfluidic studies with haemophilic blood perfused over collagen, we found that a severe deficiency (<1% factor level) reduced platelet and fibrin deposition, while a moderate deficiency (1–5%) only reduced fibrin deposition. We investigated: (i) the differential effect of rFVIIa (0.04–20 nm) on platelet and fibrin deposition, and (ii) the contribution of the contact pathway to rFVIIa‐induced haemophilic blood clotting. Haemophilic or healthy blood with low and high corn trypsin inhibitor (CTI, 4 or 40 μg mL−1) was perfused over collagen at an initial venous wall shear rate of 100 s−1. At 100 s−1 wall shear rate, where FXIIa leads to thrombin production without added tissue factor, FXI‐deficient blood (3%) or severely FVIII‐deficient blood (<1%) produced no fibrin at either CTI level. Whereas rFVIIa potently enhanced platelet deposition, fibrin generation was not rescued. Distinct from the high CTI condition, engagement of the contact pathway (low CTI) in moderately FVIII‐deficient (3%) or moderately FIX‐deficient blood (5%) resulted in enhanced platelet and fibrin deposition following 4 nm rFVIIa supplementation. In mildly FVIII‐deficient blood (15%) at <24 h since haemostatic therapy, rFVIIa enhanced both platelet and fibrin generation in either CTI condition although fibrin was produced more quickly and abundantly in low CTI. For tissue factor‐free conditions of severe haemophilic blood clotting, we conclude that rFVIIa reliably generates low levels of ‘signaling’ thrombin sufficient to enhance platelet deposition on collagen, but is insufficient to drive fibrin polymerization unless potentiated by the contact pathway.
Nuclear expression of histone deacetylases and their histone modifications predicts clinical outcome in colorectal cancer
Authors: Benard Anne , Goossens‐Beumer Inès J , van Hoesel Anneke Q , Horati Hamed , de Graaf Wouter , Putter Hein , Zeestraten Eliane C M , Liefers Gerrit‐Jan , van de Velde Cornelis J H , Kuppen Peter J K
Published: October 2014

Aims

Epigenetic changes are of crucial importance in cancer development and are potentially reversible; they are therefore targets of interest for anti‐cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical prognostic value of the histone deacetylases SIRT1, HDAC1 and HDAC2 and the histone modifications H4K16Ac and H3K56Ac in colorectal cancer.

Methods and results

The epigenetic markers were immunohistochemically stained on tissue microarrays containing colorectal tumours (n = 254) and normal colorectal tissues (n = 50). Nuclear expression was assessed on the semi‐automated Ariol system. Multivariate trend survival analyses of the combined markers showed better patient survival and less tumour recurrence when more markers showed high nuclear expression. For the combination of the histone deacetylases and H3K56Ac, the hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) was 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.94; P = 0.005] and the HR for distant recurrence‐free survival (DRFS) was 0.77 (95% CI 0.64–0.92; P = 0.003) per additional marker showing high expression. Similarly, for the combination of histone deactylases and H4K16Ac, HRs of 0.86 (95% CI 0.76–0.97; P = 0.01) for OS and 0.79 (95% CI 0.68–0.93; P = 0.006) for DRFS were observed per additional marker showing high expression.

Conclusions

The studied epigenetic markers showed clinical prognostic value in colorectal cancer, both as individual markers and when combined into multimarker analyses. These results indicate that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis.
Stress distribution in root filled teeth restored with various post and core techniques: effect of post length and crown height
Authors: Kainose K. , Nakajima M. , Foxton R. , Wakabayashi N. , Tagami J.
Published: October 2014

Aim

To investigate interfacial stress distribution in restored root filled teeth with various post lengths and crown heights.

Methodology

Three‐dimensional mathematical models of a root filled mandibular premolar tooth were constructed. Parts of the tooth structures were replaced with ceramic crowns having three crown heights incorporating, either a cast post and core or a resin post and cores with fibre post or metallic post with four post lengths. Finite element linear analysis was performed to calculate equivalent and shear stress distribution at the interfaces between the teeth and post and cores under mesiodistal symmetrical boundary conditions and an oblique static load of 400 N.

Results

For the resin post and core with fibre and metallic posts, shear stress at the interface was greater in the cervical area than the post area, depending on the crown height. The resin post and core with metallic post had lower shear stress at the interface of cervical area than that of the fibre post model; however, the metallic post models produced a high concentration of shear stress at the interface between the post and resin composite. On the other hand, for the cast post and core, the shear stress at the interface was mainly produced in the post end area, which increased with decrease of post length.

Conclusions

For the resin post and core, bonding integrity to the cervical area would play a critical role in the survival of the restored tooth, whereas for the cast post and core, the bond of the post would be essential.
Antimicrobial Activity of Pd‐Doped ZnO Sol‐Gel‐Derived Films
Authors: Cruz‐Reyes Irlanda , Morales‐Ramírez Angel de J. , Jaramillo‐Vigueras David , Rodriguez‐Nava Odin , Garro‐Matamoros Rosalba , Moreno‐Palmerin Joel
Published: October 2014

Palladium doped ZnO was prepared by the sol‐gel and dip‐coating techniques, starting with zinc acetate and palladium chloride as precursors, followed by its hydrolysis in methanol. Acetic acid was incorporated to adjustpH, as well as acetylacetonate and monoehtylamine as stabilizers. The sol was later dipped 3 times in silica substrates. Structural, morphological, and antimicrobial properties of the films were investigated for three palladium contents (1.0, 2.5, and 5 mol %). X‐ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the films have a hexagonal structure after been annealed at 500°C. X‐ray photoelectron Spectroscope (XPS) showed that Pd is present in its oxidized form. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) from films showed a crack free and smooth surface (Ra= 18 nm), composed of cross‐linked particles. The synthesized films presented antibacterial activity againstEscherichia coliandPseudomona aeruginosa. It was observed that the higher Pd content (5 mol %) presents the higher antimicrobial ratio, 64.07%, for theE. coli, whereas for theP. aeruginosa, the lower Pd content (1 mol %), shows the higher antimicrobial ratio, 76.43%.
Cutaneous sarcoidosis: an intriguing model of immune dysregulation
Authors: Ruocco Eleonora , Gambardella Alessio , Langella Giovanni Giuseppe , Lo Schiavo Ada , Ruocco Vincenzo
Published: October 2014

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease characterized by the presence of non‐caseating granulomas. Its etiology remains obscure. A plausible hypothesis suggests that a complex interplay of host factors, infectious processes, and non‐infectious environmental factors, matched with a susceptible genetic background, results in a pathway that leads to systemic granulomatous inflammation. Although presentations of sarcoidosis vary enormously, multi‐organ involvement is a common feature. Cutaneous involvement occurs in about 25% of patients with protean manifestations and variable prognoses. Skin manifestations are divided into specific lesions with histopathologically evident non‐caseating granulomas and nonspecific lesions arising from a reactive process that does not form granulomas. A peculiar form of cutaneous sarcoidosis is represented by sarcoidal lesions at sites of trauma that has caused scarring. The pathogenesis of scar sarcoidosis remains unknown. Scar sarcoidosis is also associated with herpes zoster infection, surgery, and tattooing. Such heterogeneous events, along with those at the sites of chronic lymphedema, thermal burns, radiation dermatitis, and vaccinations, occur on areas of vulnerable skin labeled “immunocompromised districts”. Numerous options are available for the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis. Although corticosteroids remain the treatment of choice for initial systemic therapy, other nonsteroidal agents have proven effective and therefore useful for long‐term management. Tumor necrosis factor‐α antagonists such as infliximab may have a role in the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis, especially in refractory cases that are resistant to standard regimens. Elucidation of the relationship of sarcoidal granulomas with malignancy and immunity may facilitate a better understanding of some pathomechanisms operating in neoplastic and immunity‐related disorders.
Dating Micrometre‐Thin Rims Using a LA‐ICP‐MS Depth Profiling Technique on Zircon from an Archaean Metasediment: Comparison with the SIMS Depth Profiling Method
Authors: Kelly Colter J. , McFarlane Christopher R.M. , Schneider David A. , Jackson Simon E.
Published: October 2014

Laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) was examined as a tool for measuring isotopic variation as a function of ablation depth in unpolished zircon from an Archaean metasediment specimen. This technique was able to identify micrometre‐thin (> 3 μm) isotopically distinct mineral domains characterised by ca. 100 Myr younger 207Pb/206Pb ages associated with 2s age uncertainties as low ~ 0.2%, as well as elevated U content relative to grain interiors (up to an order of magnitude). Our calculated drilling rate suggests that each laser pulse excavated depths of ~ 0.06 μm. Ages resolved through the LA‐ICP‐MS methods overlap the 2s uncertainties of 207Pb/206Pb ages measured using SIMS depth profiling on the same zircon population. The rims were further evinced by the detection of relative enrichment (> 3 orders of magnitude) in REE in the outermost micrometres of the same zircon, measured using a different and independent LA‐ICP‐MS depth profiling technique. We propose a LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb technique capable of quickly identifying and quantifying rims, which are indication of late, yet geologically significant, fluid events that are otherwise undefined.
Ion Implants as Matrix‐Appropriate Calibrators for Geochemical Ion Probe Analyses
Authors: Burnett Donald S. , Jurewicz Amy J.G. , Woolum Dorothy S. , Wang Jianhua , Paque Julie M. , Nittler Larry R. , McKeegan Kevin D. , Humayun Munir , Hervig Richard , Heber Veronika S. , Guan Yunbin
Published: October 2014

Ion microprobe elemental and isotopic determinations can be precise but difficult to quantify. Error is introduced when the reference material and the sample to be analysed have different compositions. Mitigation of such ‘matrix effects’ is possible using ion implants. If a compositionally homogeneous reference material is available which is ‘matrix‐appropriate’ (i.e., close in major element composition to the sample to be analysed, but having an unknown concentration of the element, E, to be determined) then ion implantation can be used to introduce a known amount of an E isotope, calibrating the E concentration and producing a matrix‐appropriate calibrator. Nominal implant fluences (ions cm−2) are inaccurate by amounts up to approximately 30%. However, ion implantation gives uniform fluences over large areas; thus, it is possible to ‘co‐implant’ an additional reference material of any bulk composition having known amounts of E, independently calibrating the implant fluence. Isotope ratio measurement standards can be produced by implanting two different isotopes, but permil level precision requires postimplant calibration of the implant isotopic ratio. Examples discussed include (a) standardising Li in melilite; (b) calibrating a 25Mg implant fluence using NIST SRM 617 glass and (c) using Si co‐implanted with 25Mg alongside NIST SRM 617 to produce a calibrated measurement of Mg in Si.
Nonconventional Production of Glass Nanofibers by Laser Spinning
Authors: Quintero Félix , Dieste Óliver , Penide Joaquín , Lusquiños Fernando , Riveiro Antonio , Pou Juan
Published: October 2014

The production of very long glass nanofibers with lengths up to several centimeters was demonstrated using the Laser Spinning technique. It employs a laser to melt a small volume of a solid precursor material while a high‐pressure gas jet drags the molten material away. Thus, the molten material forms glass fibers as result of its viscous elongation by the drag force and rapid cooling promoted by the gas jet. High quantities of nanofibers can be quickly produced with tailored chemical compositions. Previously reported analyses of the process revealed that the dimensions and temperature of the molten volume together with its viscosity to surface tension ratio are the main factors governing the formation of the nanofibers. Therefore, the influence of the working conditions on these parameters must be understood to control the efficiency of the process. In this work, we demonstrate that the surface tension of the melt can be controlled independently of its temperature, and consequently of its viscosity, by adjusting the relative humidity of the gas jet. This outcome increases the productivity of the process and expands its capability for the synthesis of glass nanofibers from fragile melts.
First Philippine record of the parasitoid, Comperiella sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae): a potential biocontrol agent against Aspidiotus rigidus (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)
Authors: Almarinez B. J. M. , Amalin D. M. , Carandang J. S. R. , Navasero M. V. , Navasero M. M.
Published: October 2014

The encyrtid genus Comperiella Howard has so far not been reported in the Philippines, where there is currently an outbreak of the coconut scale insect Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne particularly in the southern parts of the island of Luzon and in some areas in Mindanao. Among Comperiella species, only C. unifasciata Ishii has been reported as a parasitoid of A. rigidus. We report not only new sightings of this parasitoid genus in the Philippines from surveys conducted in parts of the provinces of Laguna and Batangas, but also the discovery of a possibly new species that, like C. unifasciata, has been found to parasitize A. rigidus at a high rate. These findings have presented a potential of biological control against the coconut scale insect problem that has threatened the coconut industry in the country.
Short‐term effect of selection cutting in boreal balsam fir forest on cerambycid and scolytid beetles
Authors: Morin M. B. , Hébert C. , Berthiaume R. , Bauce É. , Brodeur J.
Published: October 2014

The ecology and management of boreal forest ecosystems are drawing greater attention worldwide as their importance is being increasingly recognized for carbon sequestration or for harbouring the world's largest remaining intact forests. Selection cuts have been introduced as a more socially acceptable silvicultural method to improve the maintenance of habitat structure and functions as they mimic aspects of boreal forest succession dynamics. Many studies have shown that selection cutting helps maintaining arthropod communities in mature forests, but few have examined the increased risks of damage by bark‐ and wood‐boring insects in boreal forests of eastern North America. We used multidirectional flight‐interception traps to quantify the response of these beetles to 25 and 40% selection cutting in a balsam fir–white birch forest of Québec, Canada. The abundance and species number of both cerambycid and scolytid beetles were 5–6 times larger in selectively cut stands than in controls the year following treatments. Analyses revealed that bark‐ and wood‐boring beetles’ response was mostly associated with increased canopy openness in selectively cut stands (and sun‐exposed locations within them) and residual tree injuries caused by harvesting operations. These conditions attracted beetles such as Trypodendron lineatum (Scolytinae) and Rhagium inquisitor (Cerambycidae), two species known for their ability to attack weakened, dying and dead hosts. Most species were more abundant in selection cuts, except for Evodinus m. monticola (Cerambycidae) whose abundance was strongly reduced after treatment. Some beetles can have detrimental effects on residual trees and thus could reduce timber value, but most species found in treated stands do not represent a high risk for healthy trees. Thus, selection cuts do not seem favourable to the establishment of tree‐killing beetles. However, as they were found more active/abundant after selection cutting, it would be wise to further study their population dynamics over mid‐ and long‐term periods, along with the ecological and economic implications associated with this silvicultural treatment.
Managing the increasing shortage of acute care hospital beds in Israel
Authors: Meydan Chanan , Haklai Ziona , Gordon Barak , Mendlovic Joseph , Afek Arnon
Published: October 2014

Rationale, aims and objectives

Israel's healthcare system has been facing increasing hospital bed shortage over the last few decades. Community‐based services and shortening length of stay have helped to ease this problem, but hospitals continue to suffer from serious overload and saturation. The objective of this study is to present hospitalization trends in Israel's internal medicine departments.

Methods

The data is based on the National Hospital Discharges database (NHDR) in the Israeli Health Ministry, pertaining to hospitalizations in all internal medicine departments nationwide between 2000 and 2012.

Results

Total yearly hospitalization days, representing healthcare burden, had increased by 4.2% during the study period, driven mainly by the most advanced age groups. The rate of total hospitalization days per 100,000 people for all the age groups has decreased by 17.6%, but the oldest patient group had a modest reduction in comparison (7.5%). The parameter of age correlated with length of stay and readmission rates, and neither decreased during the surveyed years.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that the healthcare burden on acute internal medicine services has been reduced mostly for middle‐aged populations but only modestly for elderly populations. The length of hospital stay and the readmission rates have reached and maintained a plateau in recent years, regardless of age. The findings of this study call for planning specific to elderly populations in light of changing demographics. Possible directions may include renewed emphasis on internal medicine and geriatric medicine, and efforts to shorten hospitalization time by extended utilization of multidisciplinary primary care.
Getting personal: can systems medicine integrate scientific and humanistic conceptions of the patient?
Authors: Vogt Henrik , Ulvestad Elling , Eriksen Thor Eirik , Getz Linn
Published: October 2014

Rationale, aims and objectives

The practicing doctor, and most obviously the primary care clinician who encounters the full complexity of patients, faces several fundamental but intrinsically related theoretical and practical challenges – strongly actualized by so‐called medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and multi‐morbidity. Systems medicine, which is the emerging application of systems biology to medicine and a merger of molecular biomedicine, systems theory and mathematical modelling, has recently been proposed as a primary care‐centered strategy for medicine that promises to meet these challenges. Significantly, it has been proposed to do so in a way that at first glance may seem compatible with humanistic medicine. More specifically, it is promoted as an integrative, holistic, personalized and patient‐centered approach. In this article, we ask whether and to what extent systems medicine can provide a comprehensive conceptual account of and approach to the patient and the root causes of health problems that can be reconciled with the concept of the patient as a person, which is an essential theoretical element in humanistic medicine.

Methods

We answer this question through a comparative analysis of the theories of primary care doctorEricCassell and systems biologistDenisNoble.

Results and conclusions

We argue that, although systems biological concepts, notablyNoble's theory of biological relativity and downward causation, are highly relevant for understanding human beings and health problems, they are nevertheless insufficient in fully bridging the gap to humanistic medicine. Systems biologists are currently unable to conceptualize living wholes, and seem unable to account for meaning, value and symbolic interaction, which are central concepts in humanistic medicine, as constraints on human health. Accordingly, systems medicine as currently envisioned cannot be said to be integrative, holistic, personalized or patient‐centered in a humanistic medical sense.
Health care frames – from Virchow to Obama and beyond
Authors: Sturmberg Joachim P. , O'Halloran Di , Colagiuri Ruth , Fernandez Ana , Lukersmith Sue , Torkfar Ghazal , Salvador‐Carulla Luis
Published: October 2014

Rationale, aims, objectives and Methods

Framing allows us to highlight some aspects of an issue, thereby bringing them to the forefront of our thinking, talking and acting. As a consequence, framing also distracts our attention away from other issues. Over time, health care has used various frames to explain its activities. This paper traces the emergence of various health care frames since the 1850s to better understand how we reached current ways of thinking and practicing.

Results and Conclusions

The succession of the most prominent frames can be summarized as: medicine as a social science; the germ theory of disease; health care as a battleground (or the war metaphor); managing health care resources (or the market metaphor); Health for All (the social justice model); evidence‐based medicine; and Obama Care. The focus of these frames is causal, instrumental, political/economic or social in nature. All remain relevant; however, recycling individual past frames in response to current problems will not achieve the outcomes we seek. Placing the individual and his/her needs at the centre (the attractor for the health system) of our thinking, as emphasized by the World Health Organization's International Classification of Function framework and the European Society of Person Centered Health Care, may provide the frame to refocus health and health care as interdependent experiences across individual, community and societal domains. Shifting beyond the entrenched instrumental and economic thinking will be challenging but necessary for the sake of patients, health professionals, society and the economy.
Evaluation of early response to hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma using the combination of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and tumor markers
Authors: Miyaki Daisuke , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Aikata Hiroshi , Kan Hiromi , Fujino Hatsue , Fukuhara Takayuki , Kobayashi Tomoki , Naeshiro Noriaki , Honda Yohji , Tsuge Masataka , Hiramatsu Akira , Imamura Michio , Hyogo Hideyuki , Kawakami Yoshiiku , Yoshimatsu Rika , Yamagami Takuji , Awai Kazuo , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: October 2014

Background and Aim

To assess the early response and outcome of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

One hundred sixty‐five HCC patients treated with HAIC were reviewed retrospectively. The early response to one course of HAIC treatment was evaluated by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and changes in α‐fetoprotein (AFP) and des‐γ‐carboxy prothrombin (DCP).

Results

The median survival time (MST) for all patients was 9.5 months. The early imaging response by RECIST was assessed as partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD) in 32 (19.3%), 86 (52.1%), and 47 (28.4%) patients, respectively. Survival correlated with early imaging response (MST in PR, 20.6; SD, 11.4; PD, 5.0 months; P < 0.0001). The MST was also significantly different in patients with AFP ratio of ≤ 1 or > 1 and DCP ratio of ≤ 1 or > 1 (worst MST, 6.5 months in patients with AFP ratio of > 1 and DCP ratio of > 1). Among patients with SD early imaging response, patients with AFP ratio of > 1 and DCP ratio of > 1 had significantly poorer survival than others (MST 7.4 vs 12.6 months, P = 0.014). The decrease in AFP and DCP in the early stage treatment with HAIC were identified as significant and independent factors associated with survival of not only all patients, but also patients with SD early imaging response.

Conclusion

The use of the combination of RECIST and tumor marker ratio could be useful for assessment of the early response to HAIC and prognosis of patients with advanced HCC.
Nuclear diacylglycerol lipase‐α in rat brain cortical neurons: evidence of 2‐arachidonoylglycerol production in concert with phospholipase C‐β activity
Authors: García del Caño Gontzal , Aretxabala Xabier , González‐Burguera Imanol , Montaña Mario , López de Jesús Maider , Barrondo Sergio , Barrio Ramón J. , Sampedro Carmen , Goicolea M. Arantzazu , Sallés Joan
Published: October 2014

In this report, we describe the localization of diacylglycerol lipase‐α (DAGLα) in nuclei from adult cortical neurons, as assessed by double‐immunofluorescence staining of rat brain cortical sections and purified intact nuclei and by western blot analysis of subnuclear fractions. Double‐labeling assays using the anti‐DAGLα antibody and NeuN combined with Hoechst staining showed that only nuclei of neuronal origin were DAGLα positive. At high resolution, DAGLα‐signal displayed a punctate pattern in nuclear subdomains poor in Hoechst's chromatin and lamin B1 staining. In contrast, SC‐35‐ and NeuN‐signals (markers of the nuclear speckles) showed a high overlap with DAGLα within specific subdomains of the nuclear matrix. Among the members of the phospholipase C‐β (PLCβ) family, PLCβ1, PLCβ2, and PLCβ4 exhibited the same distribution with respect to chromatin, lamin B1, SC‐35, and NeuN as that described for DAGLα. Furthermore, by quantifying the basal levels of 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG) by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC‐MS), and by characterizing the pharmacology of its accumulation, we describe the presence of a mechanism for 2‐AG production, and its PLCβ/DAGLα‐dependent biosynthesis in isolated nuclei. These results extend our knowledge about subcellular distribution of neuronal DAGLα, providing biochemical grounds to hypothesize a role for 2‐AG locally produced within the neuronal nucleus.

image

We report that phosphatidylinositol‐phospholipase C (PtdIns‐PLC) and diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL) activities are co‐compartmentalized in isolated adult cortical neuronal nuclei, leading to a nuclear‐localized production of the endocannabinoid 2‐AG. Our results provide biochemical grounds to hypothesize a role for 2‐AG locally produced within the neuronal nucleus. 2‐AG, 2‐arachidonoylglycerol; AA, arachidonic acid; ABHD6, α‐β‐hydrolase domain‐6; COX‐2, cyclooxygenase‐2; DAGK, diacylglycerol kinase; DAGs, diacylglycerols; LPP, lipid phosphate phosphatase; MAGL, monoacylglycerol lipase; NAM, N‐arachidonoylmaleimide; PA, phosphatidic acid; PGG2‐G, prostaglandin G2‐glycerol; PLD, phospholipase D; PtdCho, phosphatidylcholine; PtdInsP2, phosphatidylinositol‐4,5‐bisphosphate; THL, tetrahydrolipstatin.
Evidence and the Practice of Prosthodontics: 20 Years after EBD Introduction
Authors: Carr Alan B.
Published: October 2014

Prosthodontics has a rich history related to the principles embedded in evidence‐based health care. This paper reviews the evidence‐based prosthodontics activity over the past 3 decades. It also discusses the impact of health care reform on evidence‐based medicine as it relates to broader context of care outcomes. Finally, the value associated with an Evidence Stewardship emphasis in prosthodontics is presented. This emphasis suggests that combining evidence from clinical trials with evidence from clinical practice environments best equips clinicians for the management of patients in the future. Adoption of a strategic Evidence Stewardship direction is an extended commitment to change that recognizes health care reform aims and seeks to be an accountable provider group in the broader health care arena. The vision to form a representative network of prosthodontic practitioners that augments a commitment to Cochrane “clinical trial” data demonstrates a responsibility to professional transparency about who we are, adds value for patients and oral health care providers, impacts teachers and students in dental education, and provides a measure of care accountability unique in dentistry.
Using a Porcelain Furnace to Debond Cement‐Retained Implant Crown from the Abutment after Screw Fracture: A Clinical Report
Authors: Saponaro Paola C. , Heshmati Reza H. , Lee Damian J.
Published: October 2014

When a screw fracture occurs on a cement‐retained, implant‐supported restoration, the abutment and restoration are completely separated from the implant's internal connection. Traditionally, an access hole is drilled through the crown to retrieve the broken screw, and the restoration can be placed again as a screw‐retained restoration. This clinical report documents a patient whose broken abutment screw was retrieved from the restoration by burning off the cement and separating from the abutment without drilling an access hole.
FIRM SIZES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: ESTIMATING LONG‐TERM EFFECTS ON U.S. COUNTY GROWTH, 1990–2000
Authors: Komarek Timothy , Loveridge Scott
Published: October 2014

This paper investigates the role of the business size distribution on income and employment growth in U.S. counties from 1990 to 2000. We measure the business size distribution as the share of employees across nine establishment size categories that range from microfirms (one to four employees) to large firms (1,000+ employees) and using three indices similar to a Gini coefficient. Results show that the business size distribution has a significant impact on county‐level growth patterns. Employment shares in small firms increase employment growth, but decrease income growth. One possible conclusion suggests policies emphasizing small firms and entrepreneurship during times of high unemployment.
The Formation of Tie Strength in a Strategic Alliance's First New Product Development Project: The Influence of Project and Partners' Characteristics
Authors: Badir Yuosre F. , O'Connor Gina Colarelli
Published: October 2014

This paper draws on theories of interorganizational learning, social networks, and transaction cost economics to investigate the formation of tie strength between first‐time alliance partners. It focuses on a strategic alliance's first new product development (NPD) project, which is characterized by a lack of prior experience and insufficient trust between partners and explores how the interaction between (1) interorganizational learning (the “degree” [amount of knowledge shared] and “type” [tacit or explicit nature of the knowledge]); (2) the required communication (“frequency level” and “degree of media‐richness”) to transfer and exchange knowledge; and (3) economic transaction considerations (reducing cost and avoiding opportunism), in highly uncertain and dynamic environments, and, in the absence of an assumption of trust, will determine the future strength of the ties between partners.

We argue that the “degree” and “type” of interorganizational learning that are required to efficiently develop an alliance's first NPD project determine the strength of the ties between the partners. Each “degree and type” of learning has a different impact on the frequency and media richness of the partners' communication, and consequently each leads to a different level of social tie strength between the partners. This relationship is moderated by the partners' market overlap.

We suggest that the required “degree and type” of interorganizational learning is contingent on the project characteristics (degree of innovation; “radical versus incremental,” and the mode of development; “modular versus integrated”). This relationship, however, is moderated by the partners' technical skills (complementary versus similar).
Ailadinium reticulatumgen. et sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a New Thecate, Marine, Sand‐Dwelling Dinoflagellate from the NorthernRedSea
Authors: Saburova Maria , Chomérat Nicolas
Published: October 2014

A new photosynthetic, sand‐dwelling marine dinoflagellate,Ailadinium reticulatumgen. et sp. nov., is described fromthe Jordanian coast in theGulf ofAqaba, northernRedSea, based on detailed morphological and molecular data.A. reticulatumis a large (53–61 μm long and 38–48 μm wide), dorsoventrally compressed species, with the epitheca smaller than the hypotheca. The theca of this new species is thick and peculiarly ornamented with round to polygonal depressions forming a foveate‐reticulate thecal surface structure. TheKofoidian thecal tabulation isAPC(Po, cp), 4′, 2a, 6′′, 6c, 4s, 6′′′, 1p, 1′′′′ or alternatively it can be interpreted asAPC, 4′, 2a, 6′′, 6c, 4s, 6′′′, 2′′′′. The plate pattern ofA. reticulatumis noticeably different from described dinoflagellate genera. Phylogenetic analyses based on theSSU and LSU rDNAgenes did not show any supported affinities with currently known thecate dinoflagellates.
Cellular organelles facilitate dimerization of a newly identified Arf from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Ranjan Peeyush , Kashyap Rudra Shankar , Goel Manisha , Veetil Sindhu Kandoth , Kateriya Suneel
Published: October 2014

GTPases of the Ras superfamily regulate a wide variety of cellular processes including vesicular transport and various secretory pathways of the cell. ADP – ribosylation factor (ARF) belongs to one of the five major families of the Ras superfamily and serves as an important component of vesicle formation and transport machinery of the cells. The binding of GTP to these Arfs and its subsequent hydrolysis, induces conformational changes in these proteins leading to their enzymatic activities. The dimeric form of Arf is associated with membrane pinch‐off during vesicle formation. In this report, we have identified an arf gene from the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, CrArf, and showed that the oligomeric state of the protein in C. renhardtii is modulated by the cellular membrane environment of the organism. Protein cross‐linking experiments showed that the purified recombinant CrArf has the ability to form a dimer. Both the 20‐kDa monomeric and 40‐kDa dimeric forms of CrArf were recognized from Chlamydomonas total cell lysate (CrTLC) and purified recombinant CrArf by the CrArf specific antibody. The membranous environment of the cell appeared to facilitate dimerization of the CrArf, as dimeric form was found exclusively associated with the membrane bound organelles. The subcellular localization studies in Chlamydomonas suggested that CrArf mainly localized in the cytosol and was mislocalized in vesicle transport machinery inhibitor treated cells. This research sheds light on the importance of the cellular membrane environment for regulating the oligomeric state of CrArf protein in this organism and associated functional role.
Pigment composition and photoacclimation as keys to the ecological success of Gonyostomum semen (Raphidophyceae, Stramenopiles)
Authors: Sassenhagen Ingrid , Rengefors Karin , Richardson Tammi L. , Pinckney James L.
Published: October 2014

Aquatic habitats are usually structured by light attenuation with depth resulting in different microalgal communities, each one adapted to a certain light regime by their specific pigment composition. Several taxa contain pigments restricted to one phylogenetic group, making them useful as marker pigments in phytoplankton community studies. The nuisance and invasive freshwater microalga Gonyostomum semen (Raphidophyceae) is mainly found in brown water lakes with sharp vertical gradients in light intensity and color. However, its pigment composition and potential photoadaptations have not been comprehensively studied. We analyzed the photopigment composition of 12 genetically different strains of G. semen by high performance liquid chromatography after acclimation to different light conditions. We confirmed the pigments chl a, chl c1c2, diadinoxanthin, trans‐neoxanthin, cis‐neoxanthin, α and β carotene, which have already been reported for G. semen. In addition, we identified, for the first time, the pigments violaxan‐thin, zeaxanthin, and alloxanthin in this species. Alloxanthin has never been observed in raphidophytes before, suggesting differences in evolutionary plastid acquisition between freshwater lineages and the well‐described marine species. The amount of total chl a per cell generally decreased with increasing light intensity. In contrast, the increasing ratios of the prominent pigments diadinoxanthin and alloxanthin per chl a with light intensity suggest photoprotective functions. In addition, we found significant variation in cell‐specific pigment concentration among strains, grouped by lake of origin, which might correspond to genetic differences between strains and populations.
Testing for a Unit Root in a Near‐Integrated Model with Skip‐Sampled Data
Authors: Chambers Marcus J.
Published: October 2014

This article examines tests for a unit root in skip‐sampled data. A generalization of the usual discrete time framework that allows for a continuous time detrending procedure prior to estimation of the resulting discrete time dynamic model that embodies exactly the restrictions imposed by the process of temporal aggregation is proposed. A simulation study reveals that taking these restrictions into account can yield improved size and power properties compared to a statistic based on a model that ignores the temporal aggregation, and an empirical illustration of the methods using monthly producer price data for the UK and the USA is provided. Further avenues for investigation in future work are also highlighted.
Triple immunosuppressive therapy in steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome children with tacrolimus resistance or tacrolimus sensitivity but frequently relapsing
Authors: Wu Boying , Mao Jianhua , Shen Huijun , Fu Haidong , Wang Jingjing , Liu Aimin , Gu Weizhong , Shu Qiang , Du Lizhong
Published: October 2014

Aim

The treatment strategy for steroid‐resistant nephrotic syndrome remains uncertain at present, especially in those with calcineurin inhibitor resistance or intolerance. To date, few studies have been published using multiple combination therapy of immunosuppressive reagents for children with calcineurin inhibitor‐resistant or ‐intolerant nephrotic syndrome.

Methods

Eighteen consecutive children with steroid‐ and tacrolimus (TAC)‐resistant (n = 10) or TAC‐sensitive but frequent relapsing nephrotic syndrome (n = 8) were randomly recruited in the present study. All of them received further triple‐combination therapy by cyclophosphamide (CTX, n = 6), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, n = 5) or leflunomide (LEF, n = 7). Their clinical data were collected and efficacy of triple‐combination therapy was evaluated.

Results

Compared with previous double‐combination therapy of prednisone (Pre) and TAC, the short‐term remission rate in all 18 patients was significantly improved after the triple‐combination therapy, while the frequent relapse rate in the following 12 months was also significantly decreased. Among three different subgroups with CTX, MMF or LEF therapy, no significant difference was found in short‐term remission rate and the relapse rate within 1 year follow up by Kaplan–Meier plot.

Conclusion

Triple‐combination therapy with Pre + TAC + CTX/MMF/LEF is effective for short‐term response and 1 year remission, without significant additional side‐effects seen in children with steroid‐resistant and tacrolimus‐resistant or tacrolimus‐sensitive but frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome. Further study for evaluating long‐term efficacy and safety of triple‐combination therapy with Pre + TAC + CTX/MMF/LEF would be necessary for these patients.