bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of topical corticosteroids on allergic airway inflammation and disease severity in obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Lavigne F. , Petrof B. J. , Johnson J. R. , Lavigne P. , Binothman N. , Kassissia G.‐O. , Al Samri M. , Giordano C. , Dubé N. , Hercz D. , Benedetti A. , Hamid Q.
Published: June 2013

Background

The incidence of sleep‐related breathing disorders is correlated with lower and upper airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. We hypothesized that corticosteroids treatment would lead to a greater reduction in disease severity in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) patients with concomitant allergic rhinitis vs. non‐allergic OSAS patients by reducing the level of inflammation in upper airway tissues.

Objective

This study was performed to determine whether treatment with intranasal corticosteroids could reduce upper airway inflammation and improve sleep parameters in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients with or without concomitant allergic rhinitis.

Methods

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients with (n = 34) or without (n = 21) documented allergic rhinitis voluntarily enrolled in the study and were assessed at baseline and after corticosteroids treatment for 10–12 weeks. Sleep studies were performed and biopsies were obtained from the inferior turbinate, nasopharynx, and uvula. The apnoea–hypopnoea index, sleep quality, and level of daytime alertness were determined, and immunocytochemistry was used to phenotype tissue inflammation.

Results

Standard sleep indices improved following treatment in the entire cohort of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome patients, with greater improvement seen in the allergic rhinitis group. Allergic rhinitis patients demonstrated significantly improved O2 saturation and a lower supine apnoea–hypopnoea index score after corticosteroid treatment; similar improvements were not seen in the non‐allergic rhinitis group. Eosinophilia was detected at all three sites in the allergic rhinitis group, but not in the non‐allergic rhinitis group. Following treatment, fewer eosinophils and CD4 lymphocytes were documented at all three biopsy sites in the allergic group; the reduction in inflammation was less apparent in the non‐allergic rhinitis group.

Conclusion

This study has provided important molecular and clinical evidence regarding the ability of corticosteroids to reduce upper airway inflammation and improve obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome morbidity patients with concomitant allergic rhinitis.
Characteristics of splenic CD8+ T cell exhaustion in patients with hepatitis C
Authors: Sumida K , Shimoda S , Iwasaka S , Hisamoto S , Kawanaka H , Akahoshi T , Ikegami T , Shirabe K , Shimono N , Maehara Y , Selmi C , Gershwin M E , Akashi K
Published: June 2013

There is increasing interest in the role of T cell exhaustion and it is well known that the natural history of chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is modulated by CD8+ T cell immunobiology. There are many pathways that alter the presence of exhaustive T cells and, in particular, they are functionally impaired by inhibitory receptors, such as programmed death-1 (PD-1) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3). We obtained spleen, liver and peripheral blood (before and after splenectomy) lymphoid cells from 25 patients with HCV-related cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation for end-stage disease or splenectomy for portal hypertension. In all samples we performed an extensive phenotypic study of exhaustion markers [PD-1, Tim-3, interferon (IFN)-γ) and their ligands (PD-L1, PD-L2, galectin-9] in CD8+ T cell subpopulations (both total and HCV-specific) and in antigen-presenting cells (APC; monocytes and dendritic cells). In the spleen, total and HCV-specific CD8+ T cells demonstrated enhanced markers of exhaustion, predominantly in the effector memory subpopulation. Similarly, splenic APC over-expressed inhibitory receptor ligands when compared to peripheral blood. Finally, when peripheral blood CD8+ T cells were compared before and after splenectomy, markers of exhaustion were reduced in splenic CD8+ T cells and APC. Our data in HCV-related cirrhosis suggest that CD8+ T cells in the spleen manifest a significantly higher exhaustion compared to peripheral blood and may thus contribute to the failure to control HCV. Counteracting this process may contribute to inducing an effective immune response to HCV.
Randomized, controlled trial of conjunctival autografting combined with subconjunctival bevacizumab for primary pterygium treatment: 1‐year follow‐up
Authors: Nava‐Castañeda Angel , Olvera‐Morales Osiris , Ramos‐Castellon Cynthia , Garnica‐Hayashi Lilia , Garfias Yonathan
Published: June 2013

Background

To investigate the efficacy and safety of subconjunctival bevacizumab application as an adjuvant therapy for primary pterygium.

Design

This study was a clinical randomized trial performed at the Institute of Ophthalmology ‘Conde de Valenciana’.

Participants

Forty‐nine patients with primary pterygium were enrolled in the study.

Methods

Each primary pterygium patient was randomized after pterygium excision and a conjunctival autograft to receive either a single 2.5 mg/0.1 mL dose of subconjunctival bevacizumab immediately after surgery (group 1); a double 2.5 mg/0.1 mL injection of subconjunctival bevacizumab, one immediately after surgery and the second 15 days after surgery (group 2); or no injection (group 3).

Main Outcome Measures

Autoconjunctival graft presence or absence of ischaemia, necrosis, infection or detachment; surgical bed appearance; and pterygium recurrence at 1‐year follow‐up period were determined.

Results

Forty‐nine eyes of 49 patients were included. Sixteen patients were assigned to group 1, 17 to group 2 and 16 to group 3. Patients from groups 1 and 2 showed conjunctival autograft ischaemia at 24 h postoperative (37.5% and 58.8%, respectively, P > 0.05), which disappeared by the first postoperative month. No significant difference in the main outcome measures was found among single versus double‐dose of subconjunctival bevacizumab injection patients. At the end of the study, pterygium recurrences were observed only in group 3 (P < 0.04).

Conclusions

A single 2.5 mg/mL subconjunctival bevacizumab injection in conjunction with primary pterygium surgery accomplishing a conjunctival autograft procedure is safe and well tolerated, and is capable of preventing pterygium recurrences when compared with a control group.
Ocular surface abnormalities related to type 2 diabetes are reversed by the opioid antagonist naltrexone
Authors: Zagon Ian S , Sassani Joseph W , Immonen Jessica A , McLaughlin Patricia J
Published: June 2013

Background

Ocular surface complications of type 2 diabetes are associated with reductions in tear production, increased corneal surface sensitivity, and delayed corneal re‐epithelialization. This study examined the efficacy of topical application of the opioid antagonist naltrexone (NTX) in reversing these diabetic‐related ocular surface complications in mice.

Methods

The genetic db/db mouse model of type 2 diabetes, along with C57Bl/6 wild‐type mice were investigated. Tear production was assessed by phenol red impregnated threads, and ocular surface sensitivity was measured using Von Frey filaments. Centrally located, circular corneal abrasions were created in mice and residual epithelial defects measured by fluorescein photography. Animals in each group received topical applications of drops of 10−5 M NTX in sterile Vigamox (Vigamox, Alcon Laboratories, Fort Worth, Texas, USA) or sterile Vigamox alone, and tear production, corneal sensitivity, and reepithelialization were monitored.

Results

In comparison to diabetic mice receiving vehicle only, db/db mice treated with one drop of NTX demonstrated a marked reversal in dry eye and ocular surface hypersensitivity within 1 h of one drop of NTX. Reversal of the complications in db/db mice usually lasted for 48–90 h. Corneal epithelial repair in db/db mice was enhanced following a regimen of three drops of NTX daily such that by 72 h, residual wounds were one third the size in db/db mice receiving NTX relative to diabetic mice receiving vehicle. Application of Vigamox alone had no effect. No adverse effects of NTX administration were noted in the cornea.

Conclusions

This is the first report of the efficacy of topical NTX in reversing corneal surface complications in type 2 diabetic mice.
Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness measurements by optical coherence tomography in patients with sleep apnoea syndrome
Authors: Sagiv Oded , Fishelson‐Arev Tagil , Buckman Gila , Mathalone Nurit , Wolfson Julia , Segev Eitan , Peled Ron , Lavi Idit , Geyer Orna
Published: June 2013

Background

The study aims to investigate whether retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) abnormalities can be detected in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome with normally appearing optic disc.

Design

This is an observational case‐control study.

Participants

One hundred and eight consecutive patients with moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS) as determined by overnight polysomnography and normal looking discs and 108 age‐matched healthy controls were included in the study.

Methods

All patients underwent RNFL examinations by optical coherence tomography using fast retinal nerve fibre layer thickness scan.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measure was RNFL thickness.

Results

Multivariate regression analysis results showed that the RNFL was thinner for a patient with OSAHS than that of a normal control in the average by 4.20 μm (P < 0.003), in the superior quadrant by 4.83 μm (P = 0.028) and in the inferior quadrant by 5.19 μm (P = 0.016). RNFL thickness did not correlate with the severity of the disease.

Conclusions

RNFL thinning was detected in normal‐looking discs of patients with advanced OSAHS, but the extent of this thinning did not correlate with the severity of the disease. Longitudinal follow‐up is needed to clarify whether RNFL thinning in OSAHS patients with normal clinically appearing optic nerves will eventually lead to glaucoma.
Subsidized Housing and the Concentration of Poverty, 1977–2008: A Comparison of Eight U.S. Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Kucheva Yana Andreeva
Published: June 2013

This paper examines the link between subsidized housing and the concentration of poverty. I use newly available data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that extends from the earliest years of subsidized housing reform to the present day. I find that substantial changes in the poverty rate of neighborhoods occurred predominantly in census tracts that experienced more than a 5 percent increase or decrease in their share of subsidized units, indicating that more subsidized housing is associated with greater poverty. However, the increase in the poverty rate of neighborhoods that experienced more than a 5 percent increase in either building–based or voucher units was due to the movement of poor subsidized individuals into those neighborhoods rather than changes in the poverty rate of individuals who do not live in subsidized housing.
Do Affordable Housing Projects Harm Suburban Communities? Crime, Property Values, and Taxes in Mount Laurel, NJ
Authors: Albright Len , Derickson Elizabeth S. , Massey Douglas S.
Published: June 2013

This paper offers a mixed–method analysis of the municipal–level consequences of an affordable housing development built in suburban New Jersey. Opponents of affordable housing development often suggest that creating affordable housing will harm surrounding communities. Feared consequences include increases in crime, declining property values, and rising taxes. To evaluate these claims, the paper uses the case of Mount Laurel, New Jersey—the site of a landmark affordable housing legal case and subsequent affordable housing development. Employing a multiple time series group control design, we compare crime rates, property values, and property taxes in Mount Laurel to outcomes in similar nearby municipalities that do not contain comparable affordable housing developments. We find that the opening of the affordable housing development was not associated with trends in crime, property values, or taxes, and discuss management practices and design features that may have mitigated potential negative externalities.
Evaluation of relationship between preoperative bone density values derived from cone beam computed tomography and implant stability parameters: a clinical study
Authors: Salimov Fariz , Tatli Ufuk , Kürkçü Mehmet , Akoğlan Mücahide , Öztunç Haluk , Kurtoğlu Cem
Published: June 2013

Objectives

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of bone density value derived from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) by evaluating its correlation with implant stability parameters including insertion torque value (ITV) and radiofrequency analysis in relation to different clinical variables including location, gender, age, bone quality, and implant diameter.

Material and Methods

A total of 65 implants were placed in 17 patients. The bone densities of implant recipient sites were preoperatively recorded using CBCT. Bone quality was subjectively assessed, which depends on the stiffness of the jawbone according to the Lekholm and Zarb index during drilling procedure. The maximum ITV of each implant was recorded using a digital torque meter during implant placement. Resonance frequency measurements were taken using an Osstell® Mentor immediately after implant placement. Data were analyzed statistically.

Results

The mean bone density, insertion torque, and implant stability quotient values of all implants were 556 ± 80, 37.4 ± 3.3 Ncm, and 73.8 ± 7.2, respectively. Statistically significant correlations were found between bone density values from CBCT and implant stability parameters in relation to all variables.

Conclusion

Bone density assessment using CBCT is an efficient method and significantly correlated with implant stability parameters and Lekholm and Zarb index. Thus, it is possible to predict initial implant stability and possibility of immediate or early loading using CBCT scans prior to implant placement.
Ultrasound‐assisted bioscouring of cotton
Authors: Aksel Eren Huseyin , Erismis Burcu
Published: June 2013

In this study, the effects of ultrasound on the bioscouring of cotton by alkaline pectinase were examined. Conventional alkaline scouring was considered as the control treatment, and two different sources of ultrasound, an ultrasonic bath and an ultrasonic homogeniser, were tested, along with the enzymatic scouring process. Results indicated a clear increase in the efficiency of the enzymatic scouring process when the ultrasonic homogeniser was used: wettability time and wicking distance after ultrasonic homogeniser‐assisted bioscouring were much better than for enzymatic scouring without the use of ultrasound energy and almost the same as when conventional alkaline scouring was employed. Ultrasonic bath‐assisted enzymatic bioscouring gave slightly better results than enzymatic scouring without sonication. Reasons for the difference in efficacy of the ultrasound sources were postulated. Weight loss was increased by the use of ultrasonic equipment during enzymatic scouring. Fabric thickness and fabric strength was not significantly affected by the scouring processes. The environmental impact of the processes was also monitored by chemical oxygen demand measurement of the treatment liquors. Conventional alkaline scouring resulted in the highest environmental impact. Ultrasonic homogeniser‐assisted bioscouring also led to slightly higher chemical oxygen demand loads than other enzymatic processes owing to the more efficient removal of impurities.
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for decompression of malignant bowel obstruction
Authors: Kawata Noboru , Kakushima Naomi , Tanaka Masaki , Sawai Hiroaki , Imai Kenichiro , Hagiwara Tomoko , Takao Toshitatsu , Hotta Kinichi , Yamaguchi Yuichiro , Takizawa Kohei , Matsubayashi Hiroyuki , Ono Hiroyuki
Published: June 2013

Background

Previous reports on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for bowel decompression have included a relatively small number of patients and the details of post‐procedural outcomes and complications are lacking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcomes and safety of PEG for bowel decompression in a relatively large number of patients with malignant bowel obstruction.

Patients and Methods

Over a 10‐year period, 76 patients with malignant bowel obstruction were referred to the main referral cancer center in Shizuoka prefecture for PEG to obtain decompression. The method for gastrostomy was carried out by the pull‐method, the modified introducer method and the percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy method. Patient demographics, procedural success, complications, elimination of nasal intubation, and survival were reviewed.

Results

Successful placement was achieved in 93% of patients (71/76). Procedure‐related complications occurred in 21% ofpatients (15/71), of which the majority involved stomal leakage (eight patients), and wound infection (six patients). There were no procedure‐related deaths. Among the 55 patients who required nasal intubation before PEG, a trans‐gastrostomy intestinal tube was inserted in 16 patients. The need for further nasal intubation was eliminated in 96% of the patients (53/55). The median survival time was 63 days (range, 8–444 days) after PEG placement.

Conclusions

PEG for bowel decompression in patients with malignant obstruction can be carried out with an acceptable risk of minor complications. In combination with a trans‐gastrostomy intestinal tube insertion, the elimination of nasal intubation can be achieved in most patients.
Free iron catalyzes oxidative damage to hematopoietic cells/mesenchymal stem cellsin vitroand suppresses hematopoiesis in iron overload patients
Authors: Lu Wenyi , Zhao Mingfeng , Rajbhandary Sajin , Xie Fang , Chai Xiao , Mu Juan , Meng Juanxia , Liu Yongjun , Jiang Yan , Xu Xinnv , Meng Aimin
Published: June 2013

Objectives

Transfusional iron overload is of major concern in hematological disease. Iron‐overload‐related dyserythropoiesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐related damage to hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function are major setbacks in treatment for such disorders. We therefore aim to investigate the effect of iron overload on hematopoiesis in the patients and explore the role of ROS in iron‐induced oxidative damage in hematopoietic cells and microenvironmentin vitro.

Patients and methods

The hematopoietic colony‐forming capacity and ROS level of bone marrow cells were tested before and after iron chelation therapy.In vitro, we first established an iron overload model of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) and umbilical cord‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC‐MSC). ROS level, cell cycle, and apoptosis were measured by FACS. Function of cells was individually studied by Colony‐forming cell (CFC) assay and co‐culture system. Finally, ROS‐related signaling pathway was also detected by Western blot.

Results

After administering deferoxamine (DFO), reduced blood transfusion, increased neutrophil, increased platelet, and improved pancytopenia were observed in 76.9%, 46.2%, 26.9%, and 15.4% of the patients, respectively. Furthermore, the colony‐forming capacity of BMMNC from iron overload patient was deficient, and ROS level was higher, which were partially recovered following iron chelation therapy.In vitro, exposure of BMMNC to ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) for 24 h decreased the ratio of CD34+cell from 0.91 ± 0.12% to 0.39 ± 0.07%. Excessive iron could also induce apoptosis, arrest cell cycle, and decrease function of BMMNC and UC‐MSC, which was accompanied by increased ROS level and stimulated p38MAPK, p53 signaling pathway. More importantly, N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) or DFO could partially attenuate cell injury and inhibit the signaling pathway induced by excessive iron.

Conclusions

Our study shows that iron overload injures the hematopoiesis by damaging hematopoietic cell and hematopoietic microenvironment, which is mediated by ROS‐related signaling proteins.
Detection, pharmacokinetics and cardiac effects following administration of clenbuterol to exercised horses
Authors: Knych H. K. , Mitchell M. M. , Steinmetz S. J. , McKemie D. S.
Published: June 2013

Reasons for performing study

The use of clenbuterol in performance horses necessitates the establishment of appropriate withdrawal times.

Objectives

To describe plasma and urine concentrations of clenbuterol following administration of 2 commonly used dosing regimens to racing fit Thoroughbreds.

Study design

Experimental.

Methods

Twenty‐two horses received an oral dose of 0.8 μg/kg bwt of clenbuterol twice daily for 30 days. A second group of 6 horses received clenbuterol according to the escalating dose protocol on the manufacturer's label. Blood and urine samples were collected prior to, throughout and at various times up to 35 days post administration of the final dose. Drug concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry, and plasma data were analysed using noncompartmental analysis. Behavioural and physiological effects were monitored and heart rate was recorded throughout the course of the study.

Results

Clenbuterol plasma concentrations were below the limit of quantification (10 pg/ml) of the assay by Day 4 in all horses receiving the chronic low‐dose regimen and by Day 7 in 5 of 6 horses receiving the escalating dosing protocol. Urine clenbuterol concentrations fell below the limit of quantification of the assay between Days 21 and 28 in all 22 horses in the low‐dose group and in 5 of 6 of the horses in the escalating dose group. Muscle fasciculations, sweating and transient increases in heart rate were noted in a small number of horses following clenbuterol administration, but tolerance to these effects occurred rapidly.

Conclusions and potential relevance

Establishment of appropriate withdrawal times for specific racing jurisdictions depends upon the threshold adopted by that specific jurisdiction. This study extends previous studies describing the pharmacokinetics of clenbuterol and describes plasma and urine concentrations following administration of 2 commonly used dosing regimens to racing fit Thoroughbreds, which will allow jurisdictions to establish withdrawal times in order to prevent inadvertent positive regulatory findings.
Characterization of skin‐resident T cells using a crawl‐out method and flow cytometry
Authors: Poot Jacqueline , Thewissen Mariëlle , Booi Darren , Nieuwhof Chris
Published: June 2013

A large fraction of the skin‐homing T‐cell population resides in the skin even under resting, non‐inflammatory conditions. Here, we used a crawl‐out culture method to retrieve T cells from human skin and characterized them using flow cytometric analysis. On average, 48000 viable, non‐proliferating cells were retrieved per biopsy. We found that human skin contains a larger fraction of IL‐17‐, IL‐4‐, IL‐10‐ and IL‐22‐positive T cells as compared with paired blood samples. Our research indicates that it is feasible to use the crawl‐out method in combination with flow cytometry to characterize T‐cell subpopulations in patient‐derived skin biopsies. This method enables further study of the skin immune system and could function as a valuable tool for evaluation of the effects of immunotherapy in skin diseases.
Lipid‐binding properties of human ApoD and Lazarillo‐related lipocalins: functional implications for cell differentiation
Authors: Ruiz Mario , Sanchez Diego , Correnti Colin , Strong Roland K. , Ganfornina Maria D.
Published: June 2013

Lipocalins are a family of proteins characterized by a conserved eight‐stranded β‐barrel structure with a ligand‐binding pocket. They perform a wide range of biological functions and this functional multiplicity must relate to the lipid partner involved. Apolipoprotein D (ApoD) and its insect homologues, Lazarillo (Laz) and neural Lazarillo (NLaz), share common ancestral functions like longevity, stress resistance and lipid metabolism regulation, coexisting with very specialized functions, like courtship behavior. Using tryptophan fluorescence titration, we screened the binding of 15 potential lipid partners for NLaz, ApoD and Laz and uncovered several novel ligands with apparent dissociation constants in the low micromolar range. Retinoic acid (RA), retinol, fatty acids and sphingomyelin are shared ligands. Sterols, however, showed a species‐specific binding pattern: cholesterol did not show strong binding to human ApoD, whereas NLaz and Laz did bind ergosterol. Among the lipocalin‐specific ligands, we found that ApoD selectively binds the endocannabinoid anandamide but not 2‐acylglycerol, and that NLaz binds the pheromone 7‐tricosene, but not 7,11‐heptacosadiene or 11‐cis‐vaccenyl acetate. To test the functional relevance of lipocalin ligand binding at the cellular level, we analyzed the effect of ApoD, Laz and NLaz preloaded with RA on neuronal differentiation. Our results show that ApoD is necessary and sufficient to allow for RA differentiating activity. Both human ApoD and Drosophila NLaz successfully deliver RA to immature neurons, driving neurite outgrowth. We conclude that ApoD, NLaz and Laz bind selectively to a different but overlapping set of lipid ligands. This multispecificity can explain their varied physiological functions.
Identification and expression of iron regulators in human synovium: evidence for upregulation in haemophilic arthropathy compared to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and healthy controls
Authors: Nieuwenhuizen L. , Schutgens R. E.G. , van Asbeck B. S. , Wenting M. J. , van Veghel K. , Roosendaal G. , Biesma D. H. , Lafeber F. P.J.G.
Published: June 2013

Recurrent joint bleeding is the most common manifestation of severe haemophilia resulting in haemophilic arthropathy (HA). Iron plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the two main features of HA: synovitis and cartilage destruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the synovial presence of the iron regulator proteins ferroportin (FPN), hepcidin, haemoglobin scavenger receptor CD163 (CD163), feline leukaemia virus subgroup C (FLVCR), and heme carrier protein 1 (HCP‐1). A comparison of the expression in HA with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and healthy controls (HC) is made. Synovial expression of iron regulators was investigated by immunohistochemistry in human synovial tissue and in a murine haemophilia model. We demonstrate for the first time the synovial presence of the investigated iron regulator proteins. Expression of the iron regulator proteins FPN, CD163, FLVCR, and HCP‐1 was enhanced in HA in comparison to RA, OA, and HC synovium. In addition, in a murine haemophilia model of acute joint bleeding, synovial expression of FPN, CD163, and HCP‐1 was increased. In both human and murine experiment, synovial expression of hepcidin was not altered. These findings indicate the presence of iron regulator proteins in the synovium, demonstrate an enhanced expression of FPN, CD163, FLVCR, and HCP‐1 in HA, and suggest a synovial adaptation mechanism to maintain synovial iron homeostasis in HA.
Therapeutic effects of the direct renin inhibitor, aliskiren, on non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis in fatty liver Shionogi ob/ob male mice
Authors: Kishina Manabu , Koda Masahiko , Kato Jun , Tokunaga Shiho , Matono Tomomitsu , Sugihara Takaaki , Ueki Masaru , Murawaki Yoshikazu
Published: June 2013

Aim

Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a manifestation of metabolic syndrome in the liver that is characterized by hepatic fat accumulation, inflammation and varying degrees of fibrosis. The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) appears to play important roles in NASH. Direct renin inhibitors (DRI) reduce plasma renin activity (PRA) through interaction with the active site of the enzyme and reduce the formation of angiotensin‐II (AT‐II). Therefore, the DRI aliskiren may further suppress the RAS. This study examined the effects of aliskiren on NASH in fatty liver Shionogi (FLS)‐ob/ob male mice that are the closest animal model of metabolic syndrome‐related NASH in humans.

Methods

Aliskiren (100 mg/kg per day, aliskiren group) or a placebo (control group) was p.o. administrated to eight FLS‐ob/ob mice each for 16 weeks and factors including steatosis, fibrosis, inflammation and oxidative stress were compared between the two groups.

Results

Amounts of hepatic fibrosis were significantly lower in the aliskiren group than in the control group. Areas of α‐smooth muscle actin positivity, the numbers of F4/80 positive, 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxyguanosine positive cells and immunohistochemical staining of 4‐hydroxynonenal were also significantly decreased in the aliskiren group. Levels of RNA expression for transforming growth factor‐β1, connective tissue growth factor and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 were significantly lower in the aliskiren group.

Conclusion

Aliskiren attenuated the progression of hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of hepatic stellate and Kupffer cells and by reducing oxidative stress.
Adherence‐enhancing interventions for highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV‐infected patients – a systematic review
Authors: Mathes T , Pieper D , Antoine S‐L , Eikermann M
Published: June 2013

Objectives

The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of adherence‐enhancing interventions for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV‐infected patients in developed countries.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed (January 2001 to May 2012) in EMBASE, including MEDLINE records, CENTRAL and PsycInfo. Trials meeting the following predefined inclusion criteria were included: adult patients with an HIV infection treated with HAART, an intervention to enhance patient adherence, adherence as the outcome, clinical outcomes, randomized controlled trial (RCT), article written in English or German, patient enrolment after 2001, and trial conducted in World Health Organization (WHO) stratum A. Selection was performed by two reviewers independently. All relevant data on patient characteristics, interventions, adherence measures and results were extracted in standardized tables. The methodological trial quality was evaluated by two reviewers independently. All discrepancies were discussed until a consensus was reached. A meta‐analysis could not be performed because of the heterogeneity of trials.

Results

In total, 21 trials fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Of 21 trials, only one that examined motivational interviewing for alcohol‐dependent patients showed statistically significant results for adherence rates and viral load in favour of the intervention. One trial showed a statistically significant clinical effect of the intervention; however, inconsistent results were presented for adherence depending on the underlying adherence definition. The results of the remaining 19 trials were not statistically significant or were conflicting for adherence and/or clinical outcomes. However, the methodological trial quality was low.

Conclusions

It is not possible to definitively assess the effectiveness of adherence‐enhancing interventions. However, it appears that most adherence interventions have no effect.
Emergency department (ED) utilization by HIV‐infected ED patients in the United States in 2009 and 2010 – a national estimation
Authors: Mohareb AM , Rothman RE , Hsieh Y‐H
Published: June 2013

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe the emergency department (ED) resource utilization patterns of ED visits by patients reported to be HIV‐infected in the USA in 2009 and 2010 and to compare them with those of the general ED patient population.

Methods

We identified demographics, HIV infection status, and ED utilization patterns in 2009 and 2010 from a weighted sample of US ED visits using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a nationally representative survey. Data on visits by patients aged ≥ 13 years were analysed using procedures for multiple‐stage survey data.

Results

In 2009 and 2010, 1 192 535 visits were documented for HIV‐infected patients. The estimated annual ED visit rates were 633 per 1000 known HIV‐infected persons and 438 per 1000 non‐HIV‐infected persons [rate difference 195; 95% confidence interval (CI) 194, 197]. While no difference was recorded in the level of acuity between HIV‐infected ED patients and general ED patients, the total number of diagnostic/screening services ordered and medications administered in the ED was significantly higher for visits by HIV‐infected patients. HIV‐infected patients making ED visits also had a longer duration of stays [mean 5.4 h (95% CI 4.6, 6.2 h) vs. 3.6 h (95% CI 3.5, 3.8 h) for HIV‐uninfected patients] and were more likely to be admitted [28% (95% CI 22, 34%) vs. 15% (95% CI 14, 16%), respectively] than their non‐HIV‐infected counterparts.

Conclusions

ED visits by HIV‐infected individuals occur at rates higher than those of visits by the general population, and consume significantly more ED resources than visits by the general population. These national findings represent baseline prior to full implementation of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Politics and Power within Multinational Corporations: Mainstream Studies, Emerging Critical Approaches and Suggestions for Future Research
Authors: Geppert Mike , Dörrenbächer Christoph
Published: June 2013

Given the increased public interest in the use and misuse of power in multinationals in the aftermath of the financial crisis, it is notable that power relations in multinational corporations (MNCs) have not gained enhanced attention in the academic community. What is missing so far in the study ofMNCs is a systematic examination of how power and politics withinMNCs have been addressed in mainstream international business (IB) and sociological research studying theMNC. This paper starts by critically reviewing these two mainstream approaches in the study ofMNCs as organizations and seeking to understand the shortcomings of former research. Next, it reviews new emergent critical perspectives, which the authors call socio‐political studies ofMNCs, where power and politics are addressed not just more prominently, but also differently, from a more bottom‐up and actor‐centred perspective. After reviewing this emergent stream of research, the authors propose that future studies should take a more micro‐political perspective and focus in more detail on the micro‐foundations of power relations. In the concluding section, the authors show how future studies ofMNCs can learn from both critical interactionist and discursive theories when analysing organizational politics and power relations. A framework is proposed for the study of micro‐level political game‐playing inMNCs, based on a three‐dimensional framework for organizational power (episodic, rules of the game and domination), and some key research questions for future studies are suggested.
Narrative Group Therapy with the Seriously Mentally Ill: A Case Study
Authors: Vassallo Tony
Published: June 2013

This paper describes a process set up to facilitate a group of people living with a serious mental illness. The group was based on Anthony's notions of recovery, and incorporated a narrative approach, while remaining consistent with Northen's groupwork model. Particular attention is paid to the preplanning and initial session of the group, to the use of letters and to the incorporation of a reflective team approach. Documentation of the discoveries made by the group members during its life is included in full.
Family Therapy: Out from Behind the Hero Narrative
Authors: Gibney Paul
Published: June 2013

Schools of family therapy have been highly selective in their presentation of the theory/practice nexus. Family therapy's method of teaching (the infamous workshop format) has hampered it's growth as a practice and academic discipline. An inadvertent, unhelpful legacy of Gregory Bateson has been that lesser scholars have aped his capacity to draw on other fields of knowledge without his rigour, or his propriety. Family therapy's cavalier dealings with bodies of knowledge and its reliance on miraculous case studies has resulted in the bypassing of individual suffering. The heroic narrative that has dominated family therapy has precluded other styles of stories for therapists, theorists and clients. Family therapy has been dominated by the myth of the hero, with its accompanying motif of the puer eternus (the eternal youth). Family therapy has been forever reinventing itself, forever the ‘new kid on the block’. This fascination with newness has interfered with family therapy's capacity, at times, to consolidate its genuine value as a therapeutic entity.
‘Similar but Different’ Conversations: Working with Denial in Cases of Severe Child Abuse
Authors: Essex Susie , Gumbleton John
Published: June 2013

This article describes a particular aspect of a service called ‘Resolutions’ that has been developed at the NSPCC Child and Family Centre in Bristol, England. The Resolutions service works with families where parents and/or carers are disputing responsibility for serious abuse of their children, but where child protection agencies deem at least one of them culpable on a balance of probabilities.

The service's general approach to developing partnerships with families is briefly considered, but the article concentrates on a particular approach. This is where parents and/or carers who are disputing abuse of their children roleplay a ‘similar but different’ family. This enables key issues in relation to child abuse to be discussed by the parents and/or carers. It also facilitates the gaining of greater understanding that helps them ensure the future safety of their own and other children.
The Role Of Empathy in Brief Therapy: The Overlooked but Vital Context
Authors: Turnell Andrew , Lipchik Eve
Published: June 2013

Brief therapy is widely perceived to be a very technique oriented and outcome focused endeavour, with limited interest in the fluidity of the relationship between the therapist and client. This perception exists despite the absolute priority brief therapy has always placed on building a cooperative relationship between therapist and client. Certainly, the brief therapy tradition has almost completely avoided talking about ‘empathy’ and the emotional realm, almost as if it is inappropriate for a brief therapist to discuss them. This paper suggests firstly that brief therapy is enhanced, rather than diminished, by engaging with both empathy and affect, and secondly, that the conception and practice of empathy can itself be enhanced by the rich tradition of skills and experience that brief therapy offers. Case material is used throughout this paper to illustrate the authors’ views.
Possibilities Might Be More Encompassing than Solutions: An Interview with Bill O'Hanlon
Authors: Hargens Jürgen
Published: June 2013

Bill O'Hanlon has authored or co‐authored seventeen books, including Taproots; Solution‐Oriented Hypnosis; An Uncommon Casebook; Shifting Contexts; Rewriting Love Stories. He has published 32 articles or book chapters. Bill has produced or co‐produced two computer programs and several audiotapes and videotapes about therapy. His books have been widely translated. He is co‐editor of The Journal of Collaborative Therapies and is on the advisory board of the International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. He says that his teaching ‘may cause severe disruption to old beliefs and unhelpful patterns and you may have no place to go but toward the life that has been your heart's and soul's desire’.
DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES: DO LIMITED DATA CONSTRAIN INVESTORS?
Authors: Murtazashvili Irina , Vozlyublennaia Nadia
Published: June 2013

We demonstrate that the mean–variance optimal portfolio does not outperform (out of sample) the naive 1/N diversification strategy even if securities are grouped into indexes or broad asset classes. This finding is due to insufficient data on past returns, which limit investors' ability to accurately estimate the means and covariance structure of securities. The resulting high estimation errors eliminate the benefits of using the means and covariance matrix as compared to the naive strategy in portfolio optimization. Using value‐weighted indexes, characteristic‐sorted portfolios, or portfolios defined by principal components as underlying assets in mean–variance optimization does not help. At the same time, increasing data frequency or adding data on past earnings may in some cases make mean–variance optimization useful.
Go with the flow: water velocity regulates herbivore foraging decisions in river catchments
Authors: Wood Kevin A. , Stillman Richard A. , Wheeler Dave , Groves Steve , Hambly Catherine , Speakman John R. , Daunt Francis , O’Hare Matthew T.
Published: June 2013

Foragers typically attempt to consume food resources that offer the greatest energy gain for the least cost, switching between habitats as the most profitable food resource changes over time. Optimal foraging models require accurate data on the gains and costs associated with each food resource to successfully predict temporal shifts. Whilst previous studies have shown that seasonal changes in food quantity and quality can drive habitat shifts, few studies have shown the effects on habitat choice of seasonal changes in metabolic foraging costs. In this study we combined field and literature data to construct an optimal foraging model to examine the effect of seasonal changes in food quantity, food quality and foraging costs on the timing of a switch from terrestrial to aquatic habitat by non‐breeding mute swans Cygnus olor in a shallow river catchment. Feeding experiments were used to quantify the functional response of swans to changes in aquatic plant biomasses. By sequentially testing alternative models with fixed or variable values for food quantity, food quality and foraging cost, we found that we needed to include seasonal variance in foraging costs in the model to accurately predict the observed habitat switch date. However, we did not need to include seasonal variance in food quantity and food quality, as accurate predictions could be obtained with fixed values for these two parameters. Therefore, the seasonal changes in foraging costs were the key factor influencing the behavioural decision to switch feeding habitats. These seasonal changes in foraging costs were driven by changes in water velocity; the profitability of aquatic foraging was negatively related to water velocity, as faster water required more energy to be expended in swimming. Our results demonstrate the importance of incorporating seasonal variation in foraging costs into our understanding of the foraging decisions of animals.
DNA marker based identification of spontaneous hybrids between Pinus mugo and P. sylvestris at the Lithuanian sea‐side
Authors: Danusevičius Darius , Buchovska Jurata , Stanys Vidmantas , Šikšnianienė Juratė Bronė , Marozas Vitas , Bendokas Vidmantas
Published: June 2013

The objective was to identify spontaneous hybrids between P. mugo and P. sylvestris using organelle DNA markers in sympatric zones at the sea‐side spit of Kursiu Nerija in western Lithuania. A field inventory was carried out over the entire Lithuanian part of the spit and 203 individuals morphologically intermediate between P. sylvestris and P. mugo were tested for their male parent with chloroplast DNA PCR‐RFLP markers and for their female parent with mitochondrial DNA PCR markers. Unfortunately, the mitochondrial DNA Nad7 marker failed to identify the female parent species in our study. However, the chloroplast DNA PCR‐RFLP marker revealed that out of 203 tested individuals only 23 had a paternity different than that indicated by morphology. Of these, 13 individuals were morphologically identified as P. sylvestris but possessed cpDNA of P. mugo (putative hybrids with P. sylvestris (female) ×P. mugo (male parent), and 10 individuals morphologically identified as P. mugo possessed cpDNA of P. sylvestris and may be hybrids with P. mugo (female) ×P. sylvestris (male parent). The remainder of the 177 individuals identified in the field inventory were were considered as pure species. In conclusion, our study indicates ongoing spontaneous hybridization between P. mugo and P. syvestris in Kursiu Nerija. Human impact via seed transfer on altered hybridization rates as well as evolutionary consequences are discussed.
Freakish patterns – species and species concepts in apomicts
Authors: Haveman Rense
Published: June 2013

Apomict groups keep challenging taxonomists, in classifications as well as in more fundamental question about the nature of apomictic species. The latter question is not just an academic one, because the outcome influences practical decisions on biodiversity and conservation. A historical overview over the species problem shows that a period of confusion and proliferation of species concepts between 1940 and 1990 was followed by an increasing consensus at the end of the 20th century that the species category is heterogeneous. Species come in kinds, which is understandable in light of their different evolutional histories. Recently, Wilkins stated that we do not need a generally applicable species concept, because species are not an a priori category into which all biological organisms must fit, but salient phenomena that are to be explained. Not only biparental, but also asexual organisms often form such species‐as‐phenomena, explained as some combination of adaptation to an ecological niche and reproductive compatibility. The above is illustrated by historical and current studies in three well‐studied apomict groups, viz.Ranunculus cassubicusagg.,Rubussubgen.RubusandHieracium(subgen.HieraciumandPilosella). Species in theRanunculus cassubicusaggregate are the few existing sexuals, which are surrounded by a hybrid swarm of only partial apomictic forms, whereas inRubussubgen.RubusandHieraciums.s. sexuals as well as numerous apomicts form well defined species. How species should be circumscribed inPilosellais yet to be clarified. Largely, the differences between these groups can be contributed to their different modes of apomixis and the associated retained sexuality. From this review it is clear that the question is not so much ‘What is a species?‘, but ‘What is a species in this particular group?‘ To answer this question a thorough knowledge and understanding of the biology of the genus in question is required.
Smoking induced heavy metals and periodontitis: findings from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2008–2010
Authors: Han Dong‐Hun , Lee Hye‐Ju , Lim Sinye
Published: June 2013

Aim

Exposure to hazardous heavy metals such as cadmium and lead may contribute to increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the periodontal tissue. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum cadmium and lead levels and periodontitis.

Materials & Methods

Pooled cross‐sectional data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2008–2010 were used. Periodontitis was defined as WHO community periodontal index. Active smokers were defined as self‐reported current smokers or those with measured urine cotinine ≥164 ng/ml measurements. Serum cadmium and lead levels were measured using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) for periodontitis.

Results

The mean cadmium and lead levels were significantly higher in the periodontitis group compared with control population. A progressive increase in serum heavy metals were found as the number of sextants with periodontitis. The ORs for periodontitis were significantly associated with serum cadmium (OR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.00–1.87) and lead levels (OR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.15–2.21). The association between periodontitis and smoking was attenuated after adjusting for serum cadmium concentration.

Conclusions

We demonstrated a significant association between periodontitis and serum cadmium and lead concentrations. Cadmium appeared to partially mediate the association between smoking and periodontitis.