bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case of clear cell sarcoma in the left buttock in which serum neuron‐specific enolase was a useful marker for monitoring disease progression
Authors: Takamura Saori , Teraki Yuichi
Published: March 2015

We report a case of clear cell sarcoma (CCS) in the left buttock in which serum neuron‐specific enolase (NSE) was useful as a biomarker of CCS progression. A 40‐year‐old man had a subcutaneous tumor, 1.7 cm in diameter, in the left buttock. Histopathology revealed that the tumor consisted of nests of polygonal or spindle‐shaped cells with abundant clear cytoplasm delineated by fibrous septa in the subcutaneous tissue. There was cellular atypia but no melanin deposits. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for HMB‐45, Melan‐A, S‐100 protein and NSE. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction demonstrated Ewing's sarcoma oncogene–activating transcription factor 1 fusion transcripts in the tumor cells. CCS was diagnosed. There was no metastasis to the lymph nodes and viscera, and the patient was treated by surgical wide resection. The serum NSE levels increased before detection of distant metastasis and further increased in parallel with the expansion of metastasis. The present case suggests that serum NSE could be used as a biochemical marker in the clinical follow up of patients with CCS.
Food availability, energetic constraints and reproductive development in a wild seasonally breeding songbird
Authors: Davies Scott , Cros Thomas , Richard Damien , Meddle Simone L. , Tsutsui Kazuyoshi , Deviche Pierre
Published: March 2015

In many organisms, food availability is a proximate cue that synchronizes seasonal development of the reproductive system with optimal environmental conditions. Growth of the gonads and secondary sexual characteristics is orchestrated by the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. However, our understanding of the physiological mechanisms by which food availability modulates activity of the HPG axis is limited.

It is thought that many factors, including energetic status, modulate seasonal reproductive activation. We tested the hypothesis that food availability modulates the activity of the HPG axis in a songbird. Specifically, we food‐restricted captive adult male Abert's Towhees Melozone aberti for 2 or 4 weeks during photoinduced reproductive development. A third group (control) received ad libitum food throughout. We measured multiple aspects of the reproductive system including endocrine activity of all three levels of the HPG axis [i.e. hypothalamic gonadotropin‐releasing hormone‐I (GnRH‐I), plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T)], and gonad morphology. Furthermore, because gonadotropin‐inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and neuropeptide Y (NPY; a potent orexigenic peptide) potentially integrate information on food availability into seasonal reproductive development, we also measured the brain levels of these peptides.

At the hypothalamic level, we detected no effect of food restriction on immunoreactive (ir) GnRH‐I, but the duration of food restriction was inversely related to the size of ir‐GnIH perikarya. Furthermore, the number of ir‐NPY cells was higher in food‐restricted than control birds. Food restriction did not influence photoinduced testicular growth, but decreased plasma LH and T, and width of the cloacal protuberance, an androgen‐sensitive secondary sexual characteristic. Returning birds to ad libitum food availability had no effect on plasma LH or T, but caused the cloacal protuberance to rapidly increase in size to that of ad libitum‐fed birds.

Our results support the tenet that food availability modulates photoinduced reproductive activation. However, they also suggest that this modulation is complex and depends upon the level of the HPG axis considered. At the hypothalamic level, our results are consistent with a role for the GnIH and NPY systems in integrating information on energetic status. There also appears to be a role for endocrine function at the anterior pituitary gland and testicular levels in modulating reproductive development in the light of energetic status and independently of testicular growth.
Which Random Walk Best Portrays the Dynamics of the Japanese Yen?
Authors: Kung James J. , Wu E‐Ching
Published: March 2015

Previous empirical studies have, in general, found that a random walk provides an appropriate description of the exchange rate dynamics. What remains at issue is how the error term of the random walk should be parameterised. This study takes an entirely different approach to examining the exchange rate dynamics. Specifically, we employ the bootstrapping technique, coupled with two popular investment strategies, to investigate which of the following nine random walks best portrays the dynamics of the Japanese yen: a random walk whose error term is independent and identically distributed, four random walks whose error terms are ARCH‐parameterised, and four random walks whose error terms are GARCH‐parameterised. Using daily yen data from 1991 to 2010, our results show that, of the nine processes, the GARCH(1,1) random walk best portrays the yen over the said period.
Stern Review 2.0? The Report of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate
Authors: Lockwood Matthew
Published: March 2015

Eight years after the launch of the Stern Review of the economics of climate change, a new major report on economic growth and climate change (Better Growth, Better Climate) has been published by a Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, chaired by Nicholas Stern. While this comprehensive review of recent evidence has some overlap with the original Stern Review, it focuses more on the short‐term costs and benefits of action needed to reduce carbon emissions in specific parts of the economy such as cities, energy and agriculture. Perhaps the most noted conclusion of the report is that policies which governments should be pursuing anyway, because they will reduce pollution, improve health, raise productivity and reduce congestion, will cut carbon emission by between 50 and 90 per cent of what is needed to get to a 2°C pathway. This is an important report that will have considerable influence, although it has had lower public visibility than the original Stern Review. However, it also points to the need for a better understanding of the politics of climate policy, and why the opportunities to adopt policies that have multiple long‐term public benefits do not get taken. While Better Growth, Better Climate does have a chapter on the political economy of change, the analysis is limited, and could be deepened by bringing in the growing literature on the politics of climate policy.
‘Together in the National Interest’: The Rhetoric of Unity and the Formation of the Cameron–Clegg Government
Authors: Atkins Judi
Published: March 2015

Following the formation of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat government in May 2010, David Cameron and Nick Clegg sought to persuade party members, the electorate and a sceptical media that their partnership would hold together for the duration of the parliament. Taking as its starting point Kenneth Burke's theory of rhetoric as identification, this article explores the strategies employed by senior Coalition figures to construct and present an image of unity to these different audiences. Of particular concern are appeals to the parties’ shared values and to the ‘national interest’, as well as the narrative of Britain's ‘debt crisis’. This narrative served to minimise inter‐party divisions by inviting MPs and supporters to unite behind the cause of deficit reduction, in opposition to the ‘fiscally irresponsible’ Labour party that had allegedly wrecked the economy. The article concludes by reflecting on the lessons for the partners in a future UK coalition government.
The ‘Incredible Wrongness’ of NikitaKhrushchev: TheCIAand theCuban Missile Crisis
Authors: Scott Len
Published: March 2015

The role of theCIAin theCuban Missile Crisis was of crucial importance to events and decisions. This article explores and evaluates the activities of theCIAin the crisis. It examines how intelligence‐gathering and analysis were conducted and how assessments and information were provided to decision‐makers. The study of the crisis illuminates many aspects of intelligence. On some of these there remain debates. The significance ofCIAcovert action againstCuba prior toOctober 1962, for example, is explored. Another important focus is the mistaken assessment of theUSintelligence community that the Soviets were not going to deploy nuclear missiles inCuba. The nature and significance of this conclusion is considered, along with the views of the Director of Central Intelligence,JohnMcCone, who contrary to his analysts, believedKhrushchev would deploy nuclear missiles. The view that theCIAplayed a successful part in monitoring theSoviet military build‐up after the discovery of medium‐range ballistic missiles is analysed. The lack of success in identifyingSoviet tactical nuclear weapons is also considered. The article draws upon an extensive corpus of scholarship on the crisis, as well as declassified material and reflections of former officials. Research into the crisis extends toSoviet and other decision‐makers and thus helps facilitate a more genuinely international intelligence history of the Cold War. The article proffers a reflective and nuanced assessment that underlines the achievements as well as the shortcomings of theCIAat this most crucial moment in the Cold War.
‘Do We Still Need the CIA?’ Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the Central Intelligence Agency and US Foreign Policy
Authors: McGarr Paul
Published: March 2015

In May 1991, writing in the op‐ed column of the New York Times, the US Senator for New York, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, called for the Central Intelligence Agency to be disbanded. Arguing that the CIA represented an historical anachronism that had outlived its usefulness to American foreign policy‐makers, Moynihan proposed that the Agency should be stripped of its autonomy and have its intelligence functions subsumed by the Department of State. Moynihan's rhetorical assault on the CIA marked the opening salvo in a protracted campaign that, over the following decade, until his death in March 2003, would see the one‐time member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence lobby relentlessly for reform of America's intelligence community and against pervasive official secrecy. To date, Moynihan's evangelical fervour in championing a more open intelligence paradigm, which came to incorporate the drafting of congressional bills, the chairmanship of a bipartisan commission on government secrecy, the publication of a book, and innumerable speeches and articles, has been interpreted in a narrow personal and political context. Commentators have tended to characterize Moynihan's turn against the CIA, and towards government transparency as symptomatic of individual eccentricity, disenchantment with purported Agency excesses during the Reagan administration, and ill‐judged post‐Cold War hubris. This article breaks new ground by reframing and reperiodizing Moynihan's relationship with intelligence. It suggests that Moynihan's attitudes to intelligence and state secrecy were formulated much earlier than has hitherto been acknowledged, and in an environment far removed from Washington's corridors of power. Specifically, the essay relocates Moynihan's emergence as an advocate of intelligence reform in the global political turmoil of the early 1970s when, as Richard Nixon's ambassador to India, he was afforded ample scope to assess the CIA's utility as an instrument of American diplomacy.
Comparison of the finger counting method, the Broselow tape and common weight estimation formulae in Filipino children after Typhoon Haiyan
Authors: Young Timothy P , Washington Omar , Flanery Andrew , Guptill Mindi , Reibling Ellen T , Brown Lance , Barcega Besh
Published: March 2015

Objectives

We sought to evaluate commonly used paediatric weight estimation techniques in a sample of children in the Philippines.

Methods

We prospectively collected age, height and weight data for a sample of 207 children aged 1–9 years seen during a medical aid trip. Weights were estimated using the finger counting method, the Broselow method and four formulae. Bland–Altman analysis was performed to evaluate agreement with measured weight.

Results

Mean difference and range of agreement in kilograms were as follows: 0.6 (95% CI 0.1–1.1) and 14.9 (95% CI 13.1–16.7) for the Broselow method; 1.1 (95% CI 0.5–1.7) and 17.3 (95% CI 15.2–19.3) for the traditional APLS formula; 3.1 (95% CI 2.4–3.7) and 18.6 (95% CI 16.4–20.8) for the finger counting method; 4.0 (95% CI 3.2–4.8) and 23.1 (95% CI 20.3–25.8) for the updated APLS method; 5.1 (95% CI 4.4–5.8) and 21.1 (95% CI 18.6–23.6) for the Luscombe formula; and 5.3 (95% CI 4.5–6.1) and 22.5 (95% CI 20–25.2) for the Best Guess formulae.

Conclusions

The Broselow tape and the traditional APLS formula performed best in our sample. The finger counting method also outperformed newer weight estimation formulae. ‘Updated’ age‐based formulae created recently in developed countries should not be used in disaster relief efforts in the Philippines. Caution should be used when applying these formulae to other developing countries and in disaster response.
Inter‐rater reliability and validity of the Ministry of Health of Turkey's mandatory emergency triage instrument
Authors: Erimşah M Emre , Yaka Elif , Yilmaz Serkan , Kama Ahmet , Pekdemir Murat
Published: March 2015

Objectives

In 2009, the Ministry of Health in Turkey mandated a three‐level emergency triage scale coded with the colours red, yellow and green in descending order of acuity. This study was conducted to assess the reliability and validity of this mandatory emergency triage instrument in Turkey.

Methods

This prospective study was conducted in the ED of an academic hospital with 40 000 presentations per year. The reliability assessment was between triage of a real life patient by an emergency medical technician vs the consensus of the investigators based on retrospective medical record review. The inter‐rater agreement method with quadratic weighted kappa analysis was used. The instrument's validity was measured by ED length of stay, admission rates, in‐hospital mortality, ED resource utilisation and lifesaving intervention.

Results

A total of 618 patients were assigned to either red (n = 126), yellow (n = 352), or green (n = 140) by acuity level at triage. In this study, the triage scale demonstrated ‘substantial’ reliability with a quadratic weighted kappa value of 0.725 (95% CI 0.68–0.77). It also suggested validity regarding all the measured surrogate markers, as they were strongly associated with acuity level (P < 0.001 for each). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between triage acuity and total number of used resources was 0.482 (95% CI 0.42–0.54).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates substantial reliability of Turkey's Ministry of Health's mandatory three‐level triage instrument. Significant association was also observed between the triage levels and the validity parameters measured in the study.
Is There a Potential Consumer Market for Low‐Sodium Fermented Sausages?
Authors: Dos Santos Bibiana A. , Campagnol Paulo C. B. , da Cruz Adriano G. , Morgano Marcelo A. , Wagner Roger , Pollonio Marise A. R.
Published: March 2015

The NaCl levels in dry fermented sausages were reduced by 50% or were substituted with KCl, CaCl2, or a blend of KCl and CaCl2 (1:1). The quality, safety, and the potential consumer market of dry fermented sausages were assessed. Neither 50% reduction of the NaCl content nor the substitution of 50% of the NaCl with KCl influenced the fermentation and maturation process. However, when CaCl2 was used as the substitute salt (50%), there was a significant decrease in pH, an increase in the water activity, and a decrease in lactic acid and micrococcus bacterial counts. Overall, the sensory acceptance decreased in dry fermented sausages with reduced sodium content. However, cluster analysis and internal preference mapping revealed potential for commercialization of samples with 50% of the NaCl content substituted with KCl or with a mixture of KCl and CaCl2 (1:1).
Nursing Outcomes for the Diagnosis Impaired Tissue Integrity (00044) in Adults With Pressure Ulcer
Authors: Menna Barreto Luciana Nabinger , Swanson Elizabeth A. , de Abreu Almeida Miriam
Published: March 2015

Purpose

The study aims to validate nursing outcomes from the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) related to the nursing diagnosis of impaired tissue integrity (00044) in adults with pressure ulcer (PU).

Methods

It was a consensus validation study using the focus group technique. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, and NOCs that obtained 100% consensus were considered validated.

Findings

Of the 16 NOCs evaluated, nine were validated.

Conclusions

The NOCs validated may identify the effectiveness, impact, and quality of interventions, making it possible to maintain or change the care planning of PU patients.

Implications for Nursing Practice

This work may serve to contribute to the future development of NOC, making it possible to evaluate the outcomes of PU patients in terms of the interventions performed in nursing practice.
The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Nursing Care Documentation Using the SIMPRO Model
Authors: Hariyati Rr. Tutik Sri , Yani Achir , Eryando Tris , Hasibuan Zainal , Milanti Ariesta
Published: March 2015

Purpose

The study aims to develop and test the effectiveness and efficiency of the SIMPRO. SIMPRO was developed with NANDA‐I, Nursing Intervention Classification, and Nursing Outcome Classification nursing language.

Method

The research was divided into two parts, in which we used two different designs—incremental and quasi‐experimental design. Two hundred fifty‐five samples of nursing documentations were randomly assessed with computer‐assisted clustering out of 1,040 nursing records of discharged patients. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon test to compare each elements of evaluation before and after the implementation of the system.

Result

SIMPRO improved the quality of documentation (p = .0001) and time efficiency (p = .0001).

Conclusion

SIMPRO increased the quality and functions of the decision support system in delivering nursing care as well as in nursing management.

Tujuan

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan dan menguji keefektifan dan efisiensi SIMPRO. SIMPRO adalah sistem informasi manajemen keperawatan yang dikembangkan dengan menggunakan NANDA‐I, Nursing Intervention Classification dan Nursing Outcome Classification.

Metode

Penelitian ini dibagi menjadi dua tahap yang menggunakan desain incremental dan kuasi‐eksperimental. 255 sampel dokumentasi keperawatan diambil secara acak dengan menggunakan klustering yang dibantu dengan komputer dari 1040 catatan keperawatan pasien yang sudah pulang. Data dianalisis dengan Uji Wilcoxon untuk membandingkan masing‐masing elemen sebelum dan sesudah implementasi sistem.

Hasil

SIMPRO memperbaiki kualitas dokumentasi (p = .0001) dan efisiensi (p = .0001).

Kesimpulan

SIMPRO meningkatkan kualitas dan fungsi sistem dukungan dalam memberikan asuhan keperawatan dan manajemen keperawatan.
The Public Health Responsibility deal: has a public–private partnership brought about action on alcohol reduction?
Authors: Knai Cécile , Petticrew Mark , Durand Mary Alison , Scott Courtney , James Lesley , Mehrotra Anushka , Eastmure Elizabeth , Mays Nicholas
Published: March 2015

Background and Aims

The Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) in England is a public–private partnership involving voluntary pledges between industry, government and other organizations, with the aim of improving public health. This paper aims to evaluate what action resulted from the RD alcohol pledges.

Methods

We analysed publically available data on organizations’ plans and progress towards achieving key alcohol pledges of the RD. We assessed the extent to which activities pledged by signatories could have been brought about by the RD, as opposed to having happened anyway (the counterfactual), using a validated coding scheme designed for the purpose.

Results

Progress reports were submitted by 92% of signatories in 2013 and 75% of signatories in 2014, and provided mainly descriptive feedback rather than quantifiable performance metrics. Approximately 14% of 2014 progress reports were identical to those presented in 2013. Most organizations (65%) signed pledges that involved actions to which they appear to have been committed already, regardless of the RD. A small but influential group of alcohol producers and retailers reported taking measures to reduce alcohol units available for consumption in the market. However, where reported, these measures appear to involve launching and promoting new lower‐alcohol products rather than removing units from existing products.

Conclusions

The RD is unlikely to have contributed significantly to reducing alcohol consumption, as most alcohol pledge signatories appear to have committed to actions that they would have undertaken anyway, regardless of the RD. Irrespective of this, there is considerable scope to improve the clarity of progress reports and reduce the variability of metrics provided by RD pledge signatories.
Convergent grazing responses of different‐sized ungulates to low forage quality in a wet savanna
Authors: Stähli Annette , Edwards Peter J. , Olde Venterink Harry , Suter Werner
Published: March 2015

We studied how grazing intensity by small and mid‐sized ungulate grazers varied with nutritional quality and grass species composition in wet oligotrophic tallgrass savanna of coastal northern Tanzania. Average grazing intensity was low (3–15% by cover), and most grass species were scarcely used by herbivores. Only two grasses, Panicum infestum and Digitaria milanjiana, had nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations that were consistently above the minimum levels (e.g. nitrogen concentrations <7 mg g−1) required by the three commonest grazers, Bohor reedbuck, waterbuck and wildebeest. The best predictors of grazing intensity were cover of P. infestum (the most abundant grass, with a mean cover of 15%) and canopy height of ungrazed vegetation. Models did not contain separate predictors for nutritional quality, presumably because quality varied mainly at the grass species level and therefore was fully represented by the variable ‘cover of P. infestum’. Given that the three grazers differed greatly in body size and muzzle width (parameters known to influence nutrient requirements and the ability of grazers to feed selectively at the smallest spatial scale), we expected there to be strong resource partitioning that would be detectable in terms of grazing strategies and feeding sites. However, apart from minor differences in canopy height, greenness and diameter of grazed patches (albeit consistent with our expectations), feeding stations of the three grazers were similar and strongly dominated by P. infestum. We conclude that the low quality of herbage in wet oligotrophic savannas restricts foraging choices, which produces a characteristic yet impoverished grazing community that exhibits only limited resource partitioning.
A GIS‐based land‐use diversity index model to measure the degree of suburban sprawl
Authors: Randall Todd A , Baetz Brian W
Published: March 2015

This paper describes a GIS‐based land‐use diversity measure for residential neighbourhoods – the land‐use diversity index (or LDI) model – as a possible urban sustainability criterion. The term ‘land‐use diversity’ is proposed as representative of many physical attributes of neighbourhood form opposite to typical sprawl patterns. A diverse neighbourhood is one with a mixture of compatible land uses and housing types, containing an array of amenities in reasonable proximity to where people live. The prototype version of the LDI model incorporates 34 input variables, structured around four sub‐indices. Its range of expected values are explored through four case study applications. Theoretically, index values can vary between 0 and 1, where 1 represents a condition of greater ‘land‐use diversity’. The two traditional urban neighbourhoods fared well (index values ranging between 0.627 and 0.726) because they have a greater range of land uses and neighbourhood amenities, a better integration of housing types and are more concentrated. These two neighbourhoods meet many of the ‘exuberant diversity’ criteria described by Jacobs. The two suburban neighbourhoods scored lower index values (between 0.250 and 0.363), indicating variables different to those for traditional urban forms. The LDI model differs from existing sprawl measures fundamentally, as it attempts to measure sprawl at a finer resolution (i.e. at the neighbourhood scale). It is anticipated the LDI model will assist with planning new, and reconfiguring old, neighbourhoods as they strive to meet smart growth criteria now being considered by many cities.
Displacement and denationalisation: the Mexican Gulf 75 years after the expropriation
Authors: Arroyo Michelle , Zalik Anna
Published: March 2015

Recent oil and gas sector reforms in Mexico transform protections on petroleum resources and labour that were implemented as a result of the 1938 nationalisation of the country's oil industry. This paper examines the Etileno XXI project, a private petrochemical plant led by a Brazilian firm and supported by Mexican and transnational capital, which manifests the role of early 21st‐century global commodity markets in restructuring Mexico's energy sector. Etileno XXI is described as a major step toward privatising petrochemical processing in the country and as a significant creator of jobs, albeit low wage, at the site of production. Yet the project and corresponding oil‐sector reforms will have impacts on the surrounding area that compromise pre‐existing livelihoods both ecologically and via erosion of earlier protections on labour secured through the national oil workers union. The article thus argues for a conceptualisation of displacement induced by extractive industry that incorporates into its analysis the effects of industrial restructuring and expansion on extant production relations, in both the short and longer term.
Addisonian crisis in a dog treated with phenobarbitone
Authors: Simerdova V , Hajek I , Schanilec P
Published: March 2015

Background

A 2‐year‐old intact female Irish Setter was presented with a 1‐week history of anorexia, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea. Previous medical therapy included a 3‐week treatment with phenobarbitone for suspected idiopathic epilepsy. In humans, phenobarbitone accelerates metabolism of both exogenous and endogenous steroids.

Case report

Based on history, the physical examination showing abnormal mentation and laboratory abnormalities including azotaemia, hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia, Addisonian crisis was suspected. An adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test was performed and confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment with intravenous fluid therapy, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids led to a resolution of clinical signs in 3 days.

Conclusion

To the authors' current knowledge, this is the first reported case of Addisonian crisis in a dog most probably related to phenobarbitone administration. As Addisonian crisis can be life‐threatening, clinicians should be aware of this adverse effect of phenobarbitone and use it cautiously in dogs with borderline hypoadrenocorticism.
Busulfan dosing algorithm and sampling strategy in stem cell transplantation patients
Authors: de Castro Francine A. , Piana Chiara , Simões Belinda P. , Lanchote Vera L. , Della Pasqua O.
Published: March 2015

Aim

The aim of this investigation was to develop a model‐based dosing algorithm for busulfan and identify an optimal sampling scheme for use in routine clinical practice.

Methods

Clinical data from an ongoing study (n= 29) in stem cell transplantation patients were used for the purposes our analysis. A one compartment model was selected as basis for sampling optimization and subsequent evaluation of a suitable dosing algorithm. Internal and external model validation procedures were performed prior to the optimization steps using ED‐optimality criteria. Using systemic exposure as parameter of interest, dosing algorithms were considered for individual patients with the scope of minimizing the deviation from target range as determined by AUC(0,6 h).

Results

Busulfan exposure after oral administration was best predicted after the inclusion of adjusted ideal body weight and alanine transferase as covariates on clearance. Population parameter estimates were 3.98 h–1, 48.8 l and 12.3 l h–1for the absorption rate constant, volume of distribution and oral clearance, respectively. Inter‐occasion variability was used to describe the differences between test dose and treatment. Based on simulation scenarios, a dosing algorithm was identified, which ensures target exposure values are attained after a test dose. Moreover, our findings show that a sparse sampling scheme with five samples per patient is sufficient to characterize the pharmacokinetics of busulfan in individual patients.

Conclusion

The use of the proposed dosing algorithm in conjunction with a sparse sampling scheme may contribute to considerable improvement in the safety and efficacy profile of patients undergoing treatment for stem cell transplantation.
4,4′‐DMAR: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology of a New Synthetic Stimulant of Abuse
Authors: Coppola Maurizio , Mondola Raffaella
Published: March 2015

In recent years, the spread of new psychoactive substances has dramatically increased in term of availability of both number of compounds and chemical families. In November 2012, 4,4′‐Dimethylaminorex (4,4′‐DMAR), a novel synthetic stimulant, was first detected in the Netherlands. Between June 2013 and June 2014, thirty‐one deaths associated with the consumption of this new drug have been registered across Europe. In this MiniReview, we have summarized the chemical, pharmacological and toxicological information about this new legal high.
In the eyes of the beholder: Understanding subtypes of social withdrawal among young Chinese children
Authors: Cheah Charissa S. L. , Xu Yiyuan
Published: March 2015

In this commentary on Ding et al. (Brit. J. Dev. Psychol., 2015; 33, 159–173), we focus on the following: (1) the authors’ use of vignettes portraying various prototypes of withdrawn children and (2) the cultural interpretation of their findings. We end with some suggestions for future research.
Treosulfan‐based conditioning regimen for allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with sickle cell disease
Authors: Strocchio Luisa , Zecca Marco , Comoli Patrizia , Mina Tommaso , Giorgiani Giovanna , Giraldi Eugenia , Vinti Luciana , Merli Pietro , Regazzi Mario , Locatelli Franco
Published: March 2015

Although allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) still represents the only consolidated possibility of cure for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients, its use has been limited by the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with conventional myeloablative therapy. The introduction of treosulfan to replace busulfan in conditioning regimens has recently been explored by virtue of its lower toxicity profile. We report our experience with a treosulfan/thiotepa/fludarabine conditioning for human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐matched sibling or unrelated donor‐HSCT in 15 children with SCD, and compare patient outcomes with those of a historical cohort (15 patients) given a busulfan‐based regimen. Engraftment was achieved in 28 out of 30 patients (93%), with one case of graft failure in either group. The conditioning regimen was well tolerated in both groups, with no cases of grade III‐IV regimen‐related toxicity. The 7‐year overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) for the whole cohort were 100% and 93%, respectively, with a 93% DFS in both busulfan and treosulfan groups. No SCD‐related adverse events occurred after engraftment in patients with complete or mixed donor chimerism. This retrospective analysis suggests that a treosulfan‐based conditioning regimen is able to ensure engraftment with excellent OS/DFS and low regimen‐related toxicity in patients with SCD.
Symptoms, unmet needs, psychological well‐being and health status in survivors of prostate cancer: implications for redesigning follow‐up
Authors: Watson Eila , Shinkins Bethany , Frith Emma , Neal David , Hamdy Freddie , Walter Fiona , Weller David , Wilkinson Clare , Faithfull Sara , Wolstenholme Jane , Sooriakumaran Prasanna , Kastner Christof , Campbell Christine , Neal Richard , Butcher Hugh , Matthews Mike , Perera Rafael , Rose Peter
Published: March 2015

Objective

To explore ongoing symptoms, unmet needs, psychological wellbeing, self‐efficacy and overall health status in survivors of prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

An invitation to participate in a postal questionnaire survey was sent to 546 men, diagnosed with prostate cancer 9–24 months previously at two UK cancer centres. The study group comprised men who had been subject to a range of treatments: surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy and active surveillance. The questionnaire included measures of prostate‐related quality of life (Expanded Prostate cancer Index Composite 26‐item version, EPIC‐26); unmet needs (Supportive Care Needs Survey 34‐item version, SCNS‐SF34); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), self‐efficacy (modified Self‐efficacy Scale), health status (EuroQol 5D, EQ‐5D) and satisfaction with care (questions developed for this study). A single reminder was sent to non‐responders after 3 weeks. Data were analysed by age, co‐morbidities, and treatment group.

Results

In all, 316 men completed questionnaires (64.1% response rate). Overall satisfaction with follow‐up care was high, but was lower for psychosocial than physical aspects of care. Urinary, bowel, and sexual functioning was reported as a moderate/big problem in the last month for 15.2% (n = 48), 5.1% (n = 16), and 36.5% (n = 105) men, respectively. The most commonly reported moderate/high unmet needs related to changes in sexual feelings/relationships, managing fear of recurrence/uncertainty, and concerns about the worries of significant others. It was found that 17% of men (51/307) reported potentially moderate‐to‐severe levels of anxiety and 10.2% (32/308) reported moderate‐to‐severe levels of depression. The presence of problematic side‐effects was associated with higher psychological morbidity, poorer self‐efficacy, greater unmet needs, and poorer overall health status.

Conclusion

While some men report relatively few problems after prostate cancer treatment, this study highlights important physical and psycho‐social issues for a significant minority of survivors of prostate cancer. Strategies for identifying those men with on‐going problems, alongside new interventions and models of care, tailored to individual needs, are needed to improve quality of life.
Differential cytokine expression detected by protein microarray screening in peripheral blood of patients with refractory Graves' disease
Authors: Song Rong‐hua , Qin Qiu , Wang Xuan , Yan Ni , Meng Shuai , Shi Xiao‐hong , He Shuang‐tao , Zhang Jin‐an
Published: March 2015

Objective

The prognosis of Graves' disease (GD) varies among patients. However, the immune pathogenesis of refractory GD is still unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the cytokine expression profile associated with refractory GD.

Methods

Preliminary cytokine protein microarray screening was performed to detect differentially expressed cytokines in the plasma of four patients with refractory GD and four patients with stable GD. Some differentially expressed cytokines were then validated in plasma by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) on another independent set of samples.

Results

We found that 21 cytokines were differentially expressed between patients with intractable GD and those in remission, including 18 upregulated and 3 downregulated cytokines with a fold change >1·30 and <0·77, respectively. Intractability‐related elevation of three cytokines (IL‐4, IL‐6 and IL‐10) was validated by ELISA in plasma on another GD cohort with 30 patients in recurrence and 14 in remission (t‐test, P = 0·035, 0·033 and 0·041, respectively). Furthermore, mRNA expression of IL‐4, IL‐6 and IL‐10 in PBMCs, detected by qRT‐PCR, was significantly elevated in patients with refractory GD compared with those in remission (P = 0·039, 0·047 and 0·042, respectively).

Conclusion

The severity of GD is associated with the aberrant expression and secretion of several cytokines that may serve as potential biomarkers and predictors for disease prognosis. Targeting these cytokines or their receptors may also lead to a novel therapeutic intervention for GD.
Human fetal osteoblast behavior on zirconia dental implants and zirconia disks with microstructured surfaces. An experimentalin vitrostudy
Authors: Delgado‐Ruíz Rafael Arcesio , Gomez Moreno Gerardo , Aguilar‐Salvatierra Antonio , Markovic Aleksa , Mate‐Sánchez Jose Eduardo , Calvo‐Guirado José Luis
Published: March 2015

Objectives

To measure the lateral surface area of microgrooved zirconia implants, to evaluate the cell geometry and cell density of human fetal osteoblasts seeded on zirconia microgrooved implants, to describe the surface roughness and chemistry, and to evaluate the activity of human fetal osteoblasts seeded on zirconia microgrooved disks.

Materials and methods

This experimentalin vitrostudy used 62 zirconia implants and 130 zirconia disks. Two experimental groups were created for the implants: 31 non‐microgrooved implants (Control) and 31 microgrooved implants (Test); two experimental groups were created for the disks: 65 non‐microgrooved disks (Control) and 65 microgrooved disks (Test). The following evaluations of the implants were made: lateral surface area (LSA), cell morphology, and density of human fetal osteoblasts seeded on implant surfaces. On the disks, surface parameters (roughness and chemistry) and cell activity (alkaline phosphatase –ALPand alizarin red –ALZ) were evaluated at 7 and 15 days.

Results

LSAwas lower for control implants (62.8 mm) compared with test implants (128.74 mm) (P < 0.05). Cell bodies on control surfaces were flattened and disorganized, while in the test group, they were aligned inside the microgrooves. Control group cells showed few lamellipodia, which were attached mainly inside topographical accidents (surface cracks, valleys, and pits). Test group implants presented cells rich in lamellipodia prolongations, attached to the inner walls or to the borders of the microgrooves and in the flat areas between the microgrooves. Cell density was higher in the test group compared with controls (P < 0.05) Surface roughness and oxygen content increased in test disks samples compared with controls (P < 0.05). Carbon and aluminum were reduced in disks test samples compared with controls (P < 0.05), andALPandALZlevels were significantly increased on test surfaces (P < 0.05) at both study times.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this experimental study, it may be concluded that (i) Roughness is increased and chemical composition enhanced on the surface of zirconia implants with microgrooves. (ii) TheLSAof microgrooved zirconia implants is greater and provides more available surface compared with implants of the same dimensions without microgrooves. (iii) Microgrooves on zirconia implants modify the morphology and guide the size and alignment of human fetal osteoblasts. (iv) Zirconia surfaces with microgrooves of 30 μm width and 70 μm separation between grooves enhanceALPandALZexpression by human fetal osteoblasts.
Neuropsychological and Neuroimaging Characteristics of Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Subtypes: A Selective Overview
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Zhan‐Jun
Published: March 2015

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive age‐related neurodegenerative disease. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is considered to represent early AD. Various aMCI clinical subtypes have been identified as either single domain (SD) or multidomain (MD). The various subtypes represent heterogeneous syndrome, indicating the different probability of progression to AD. Understanding the heterogeneous concept of aMCI can help to construct potential biomarkers to monitor the progression of aMCI to AD. This review provides an overview of various neuroimaging measures for subtypes of aMCI. Focusing on neuropsychological, structural, and functional neuroimaging findings, we found that aMCI showed differences in clinical progression and the abnormalities in MD‐aMCI were distributed across temporal, frontal, and parietal cortices, which is similar to AD. This is also compatible with the notion that MD‐aMCI is a transition stage between SD‐aMCI and AD. Our review provided a framework for the diagnosis of clinical subtypes of aMCI and early detection and intervention of the progression from aMCI to AD.
Unveiling the ECB's Monetary Policy Behaviour Under Different Inflation Regimes
Authors: Kazanas Thanassis , Tzavalis Elias
Published: March 2015

This paper provides clear‐cut evidence that the ECB follows an asymmetric monetary policy rule concerned more with inflation rather than sustaining economic growth. The driving force of interest rate cuts is the fall of the inflation rate below its target level. The paper evaluates the implications of the above policy on real activity by simulating a small New Keynesian model. This clearly indicates that the reaction of the ECB to negative output deviations and/or to financial stress conditions in the low inflation regime fails to reduce the adverse effects of negative demand and financial sector shocks on economic activity.
Clarifying the effect of behavioral and clinical factors on traumatic dental injuries in childhood: a hierarchical approach
Authors: Kramer Paulo Floriani , Feldens Eliane Gerson , Bruch Cristina Montini , Ferreira Simone Helena , Feldens Carlos Alberto
Published: March 2015

Aim

To explore associations between traumatic dental injuries (TDI) in Brazilian preschool children and clinical, behavioral, and socio‐demographic factors using a hierarchical approach.

Material and Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted involving 1316 children aged 0–5 years at public preschools in the city of Canoas (southern Brazil). Demographic (sex and age), socioeconomic (mother's schooling, income and family structure) and behavioral (use of pacifier, breastfeeding duration and bottle use at 12 months) factors were collected through a questionnaire. TDI (Andreasen criteria) and malocclusion (overjet and anterior open bite) were recorded by trained and calibrated examiners. Poisson regression was employed to determine factors associated with TDI using a hierarchical approach.

Results

The prevalence of TDI was 13.3%. In the final model, the probability of TDI was 50% higher in children who used a pacifier (PR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.08–2.10), 77% higher in children with overjet between 3 and 5 mm (PR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.22–2.57) and nearly threefold higher in children with overjet > 5 mm (PR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.77–4.20) compared with children with overjet ≤ 2 mm. Additional analysis demonstrated that overjet represented the pathway by which pacifier use was associated with TDI.

Conclusion

Pacifier use is strongly associated with the occurrence of TDI in the primary dentition, and accentuated overjet represents a pathway to this association. These findings suggest the need for prevention strategies that address early counseling on pacifier use to reduce the occurrence of TDI.
DoesWolbachiainfection affect decision‐making in a parasitic wasp?
Authors: Kishani Farahani Hossein , Ashouri Ahmad , Goldansaz Seyed Hossein , Farrokhi Shahram , Ainouche Abdelkader , van Baaren Joan
Published: March 2015

Various physiological effects ofWolbachiainfection have been reported in invertebrates, but the impact of this infection on behavior and the consequences of these behavioral modifications on fitness have rarely been studied. Here, we investigate the effect ofWolbachiainfection on the estimation of host nutritive resource quality in a parasitoid wasp. We compare decision‐making in uninfected andWolbachia‐infected strains ofTrichogramma brassicaeBezdenko (Hymenoptera:Trichogrammatidae) on patches containing either fresh or old host eggs. For both strains, fresh eggs were better hosts than older eggs, but the difference was smaller for the infected strain than for the uninfected strain. Oviposition behavior of uninfected wasps followed the predictions of optimal foraging theory. They behaved differently toward high‐ vs. low‐quality hosts, with more hosts visited and more ovipositions, fewer high‐quality hosts used for feeding or superparasitism, and a sex ratio that was more biased toward females in patches containing high‐quality hosts than in patches containing low‐quality ones. Uninfected wasps also displayed shorter acceptance and rejection times in high‐quality hosts than in hosts of lower quality. In contrast, infected wasps were less efficient in evaluating the nutritive quality of the host (fresh vs. old eggs) and had a reduced ability to discriminate between unparasitized and parasitized hosts. Furthermore, they needed more energy and therefore engaged in host feeding more often. This study highlights possible decision‐making manipulation byWolbachia, and we discuss its consequences forWolbachiafitness.
d‐amino acid oxidase knockout (Dao−/−) mice show enhanced short‐term memory performance and heightened anxiety, but no sleep or circadian rhythm disruption
Authors: Pritchett David , Hasan Sibah , Tam Shu K. E. , Engle Sandra J. , Brandon Nicholas J. , Sharp Trevor , Foster Russell G. , Harrison Paul J. , Bannerman David M. , Peirson Stuart N.
Published: March 2015

d‐amino acid oxidase (DAO, DAAO) is an enzyme that degrades d‐serine, the primary endogenous co‐agonist of the synaptic N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor. Convergent evidence implicates DAO in the pathophysiology and potential treatment of schizophrenia. To better understand the functional role of DAO, we characterized the behaviour of the first genetically engineered Dao knockout (Dao−/−) mouse. Our primary objective was to assess both spatial and non‐spatial short‐term memory performance. Relative to wildtype (Dao+/+) littermate controls, Dao−/− mice demonstrated enhanced spatial recognition memory performance, improved odour recognition memory performance, and enhanced spontaneous alternation in the T‐maze. In addition, Dao−/− mice displayed increased anxiety‐like behaviour in five tests of approach/avoidance conflict: the open field test, elevated plus maze, successive alleys, light/dark box and novelty‐suppressed feeding. Despite evidence of a reciprocal relationship between anxiety and sleep and circadian function in rodents, we found no evidence of sleep or circadian rhythm disruption in Dao−/− mice. Overall, our observations are consistent with, and extend, findings in the natural mutant ddY/Dao− line. These data add to a growing body of preclinical evidence linking the inhibition, inactivation or deletion of DAO with enhanced cognitive performance. Our results have implications for the development of DAO inhibitors as therapeutic agents.