bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparison of public and private partnership models for urban commercial revitalization in Canada and Spain
Authors: Espinosa Ana , Hernandez Tony
Published: October 2015

Key Messages

Public‐private partnership (PPP) has been a popular response to urban commercial revitalization.

Two modes of PPP, the Canadian Business Improvement Areas (BIA) and the Spanish Centros Comerciales Abiertos (CCA) are examined.

BIA and CCA are shown to vary by geographic extent, project scope, urban governance structure, balance of public‐private sector control, and level of stakeholder engagement.
The dendritic cell high‐affinity IgE receptor is overexpressed in both asthma and severe COPD
Authors: Stoll P. , Bähker A. , Ulrich M. , Bratke K. , Garbe K. , Christian Virchow J. , Lommatzsch M.
Published: October 2015

Background

The reduction of asthma exacerbations following omalizumab treatment has been related to the suppression of the high‐affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI) on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs). However, the FcεRI expression on DCs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unknown.

Objective

To compare FcεRI expression on DCs in COPD with patients with allergic asthma and healthy controls, and to relate the findings to clinical parameters, blood eosinophil concentrations and serum immunoglobin E (IgE) concentrations.

Methods

Using four‐colour flow cytometry, FcεRI expression on blood myeloid DCs and plasmacytoid DCs was analyzed in 64 patients with COPD, 20 patients with allergic asthma, 41 asymptomatic never smokers and 21 asymptomatic current smokers.

Results

As compared with never smokers, current smokers displayed an increased expression of the FcεRI on myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs. In patients with COPD, the expression of the FcεRI on plasmacytoid DCs, but not myeloid DCs, increased from spirometric GOLD stage 2 to GOLD stage 4, and was correlated with several lung function parameters. Patients with severe COPD and patients with allergic asthma displayed a similar FcεRI overexpression on plasmacytoid DCs. In all groups, there was a positive correlation between total IgE serum concentrations and the FcεRI expression on plasmacytoid DCs.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Severe COPD and allergic asthma are characterized by a similar overexpression of the high‐affinity IgE receptor on plasmacytoid DCs. In view of the effect of anti‐IgE on exacerbations in asthma, trials investigating the effect of anti‐IgE on exacerbations in severe COPD appear to be warranted.
Past Contradictions, Contemporary Dilemmas: Egypt's 2013 Coup and Early Islamic History
Authors: Osman Amr
Published: October 2015

To what extent is the present of Muslim societies influenced by their past? How do politics and historiography relate to each other in medieval and contemporary Islam? More specifically, can events from early Islamic history help us understand current events in Muslim countries? By discussing how some of these remote events have contributed to the emergence of certain political views, this article argues that they are still relevant to the present in Muslim countries (in our case here, Egypt) and can indeed help us understand an important part of the picture of a recent event that may have a long lasting influence on the present and future of both the country and the region where it occurred. This event was the removal of Egypt's first ever democratically elected president by a military coup on July 3, 2013, one year after he assumed office. By examining the various religious and political hermeneutic strategies used by some medieval and modern Sunni scholars to support or condemn certain acts of rebellion while opposing others, the article seeks to demonstrate — through the comparison of some of these strategies — the contradictory positions of medieval Sunni scholars regarding events from early Islam, and thus the dilemmas that their modern counterparts face when dealing with contemporary events.
Language Policy and Identity Conflict in Sudan
Authors: Zouhir Abderrahman
Published: October 2015

The Sudan, as it stands today, has clearly and definitely failed to form a united country. It has been involved in an internecine civil war. The war has not merely been a war of resistance against economic marginalization of the south, but one of racial or ethnic resistance to the dominant discourse in the north which lays claim to being racially and culturally superior. The violent political conflict that led to the secession of southern Sudan and the ongoing conflicts in some parts of the Sudan are legacies of the past. These legacies cannot be understood unless the tensions are placed in historical, political, and educational perspectives. This article attempts to describe Sudanese language policy and show its complexity, arbitrariness, and fluctuation. It aims to engage with issues of hegemony, language ideology, identity conflict, power asymmetries, and social inequality in language policy in the Sudan. The Arabic language has acquired dominant status while other languages have been marginalized in the process. This article also considers the historical diffusion of Arab identity and analyzes the relevance of the latter for civil conflicts and the cessation of the South. Finally, it closes with a discussion of the present day situation in Sudan and provides some critical reflections.
Realistic Idealism and The Project of Political Economy
Authors: Pennington Mark
Published: October 2015

This paper explores the constraints that should inform understandings of which political economic institutions are both economically and political feasible and ethically attractive. Focusing on cognitive constraints and motivational constraints, it suggests that the classical liberal ideal of a society based largely on voluntary exchanges within a minimalist conception of justice comes closest to matching the terms of a ‘realistic idealism’.
Corticotropin‐releasing factor type‐2 receptor and corticotropin‐releasing factor‐binding protein coexist in rat ventral tegmental area nerve terminals originated in the lateral hypothalamic area
Authors: Slater Paula G. , Noches Veronica , Gysling Katia
Published: October 2015

There is significant functional evidence showing that corticotropin‐releasing factor type‐2 receptor (CRF2R) and corticotropin‐releasing factor‐binding protein (CRF‐BP) regulate glutamatergic synapses onto ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic neurons. It has been shown that CRF requires CRF‐BP to potentiate N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors in dopaminergic neurons through CRF2R, and that increases glutamate release in cocaine‐treated rats through the activation of CRF2R only by agonists with high affinity to CRF‐BP. Furthermore, this CRF‐mediated increase in VTA glutamate is responsible for stress‐induced relapse to cocaine‐seeking behaviour. However, there is a lack of anatomical evidence to explain the mechanisms of CRF actions in VTA. Thus, it was studied whether CRF2R and CRF‐BP are expressed in VTA nerve terminals, using a synaptosomal preparation devoid of postsynaptic elements. The current results show that both proteins are co‐expressed in glutamatergic and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic VTA synaptosomes. A main glutamatergic input to the VTA that has been associated to addictive behaviour is originated in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Thus, this study was focused in the LHA–VTA input using orexin as a marker of this input. The results show that CRF2R and CRF‐BP mRNA and protein are expressed in the LHA, and that both proteins are present in orexin‐positive VTA synaptosomes. The results showing that CRF2R and CRF‐BP are expressed in the LHA–VTA input give anatomical support to suggest that this input plays a role in stress‐induced relapse to cocaine‐seeking behaviour.
A Balancing Act: Integrating Evidence‐Based Knowledge and Cultural Relevance in a Program of Prevention Parenting Research with Latino/a Immigrants
Authors: Parra‐Cardona José Rubén , López‐Zerón Gabriela , Domenech Rodríguez Melanie M. , Escobar‐Chew A. Rocío , Whitehead Michael R. , Sullivan Cris M. , Bernal Guillermo
Published: October 2015

Family therapists have a unique opportunity to contribute toward the reduction of widespread mental health disparities impacting diverse populations by developing applied lines of research focused on cultural adaptation. For example, although evidence‐based prevention parent training (PT) interventions have been found to be efficacious with various Euro‐American populations, there is a pressing need to understand which specific components of PT interventions are perceived by ethnic minority parents as having the highest impact on their parenting practices. Equally important is to examine the perceived cultural relevance of adapted PT interventions. This qualitative investigation had the primary objective of comparing and contrasting the perceived relevance of two culturally adapted versions of the efficacious parenting intervention known as Parent Management Training, the Oregon Model (PMTO). According to feasibility indicators provided by 112 Latino/a immigrant parents, as well as findings from a qualitative thematic analysis, the core parenting components across both adapted interventions were identified by the majority of research participants as relevant to their parenting practices. Participants exposed to the culturally enhanced intervention, which included culture‐specific sessions, also reported high satisfaction with components exclusively focused on cultural issues that directly impact their parenting practices (e.g., immigration challenges, biculturalism). This investigation illustrates the relevant contributions that family therapy scholars can offer toward addressing mental health disparities, particularly as it refers to developing community‐based prevention interventions that achieve a balance between evidence‐based knowledge and cultural relevance.
Effect of magnesium treatment and glucose levels on delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a substudy of the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage trial (MASH-II)
Authors: Leijenaar Jolien F. , Mees Sanne M. Dorhout , Algra Ale , Van Den Bergh Walter M. , Rinkel Gabriel J. E.
Published: October 2015

Background

Magnesium treatment did not improve outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage II trial. We hypothesized that high glucose levels may have offset a potential beneficial effect to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia. We investigated if magnesium treatment led to less delayed cerebral ischemia and if glucose levels interacted with magnesium treatment in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Suba-rachnoid Haemorrhage II trial.

Aim

To investigate the effect of magnesium treatment on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia and the interaction between glucose levels and magnesium treatment in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.

Methods

The Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage was a phase III randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of magnesium sulphate on clinical outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. For the current study, we included only the patients admitted to the University Medical Centre-Utrecht. We calculated hazard ratios for occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients treated with magnesium vs. placebo for the entire study population, and separately in the subgroups of patients with high and low mean fasting and mean daily glucose levels until onset of delayed cerebral ischemia. We used the cross-product of magnesium and glucose in the regression analysis to evaluate whether an interaction between magnesium and glucose existed.

Results

We included 616 patients: 307 received magnesium and 309 placebo; 156 patients had delayed cerebral ischemia. Hazard ratio for magnesium on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia was 1.0 (95% confidence interval: 0.7-1.4). Results were similar in patients with low or high fasting or daily glucose levels. We found no interactions between magnesium treatment and high fasting ( P = 0.54) and daily glucose ( P = 0.60).

Conclusions

Magnesium treatment did not reduce the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, nor was there an interaction with glucose levels. It is therefore unlikely that glucose levels explain the failure of magnesium to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia and poor outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
The Iscore Predicts Total Healthcare Costs Early after Hospitalization for an Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Ewara Emmanuel M. , Isaranuwatchai Wanrudee , Bravata Dawn M. , Williams Linda S. , Fang Jiming , Hoch Jeffrey S. , Saposnik Gustavo
Published: October 2015

Background

The ischemic Stroke risk score is a validated prognostic score which can be used by clinicians to estimate patient outcomes after the occurrence of an acute ischemic stroke.

Aim

In this study, we examined the association between the ischemic Stroke risk score and patients' 30-day, one-year, and two-year healthcare costs from the perspective of a third party healthcare payer.

Methods

Patients who had an acute ischemic stroke were identified from the Registry of Canadian Stroke Network. The 30-day ischemic Stroke risk score prognostic score was determined for each patient. Direct healthcare costs at each time point were determined using administrative databases in the province of Ontario. Unadjusted mean and the impact of a 10-point increase ischemic Stroke risk score and a patient's risk of death or disability on total cost were determined.

Results

There were 12 686 patients eligible for the study. Total unadjusted mean costs were greatest among patients at high risk. When adjusting for patient characteristics, a 10-point increase in the ischemic Stroke risk score was associated with 8%, 7%, and 4% increase in total costs at 30 days, one-year, and two-years. The same increase was found to impact patients at low, medium, and high risk differently. When adjusting for patient characteristics, patients in the high-risk group had the highest total costs at 30 days, while patients at medium risk had the highest costs at both one and two-years.

Conclusions

The ischemic Stroke risk score can be useful as a predictor of healthcare utilization and costs early after hospitalization for an acute ischemic stroke.
Propiverine increases urethral wall catecholamine levels and bladder leak point pressure in rats
Authors: Nishijima Saori , Sugaya Kimio , Kadekawa Katsumi , Ashitomi Katsuhiro , Ueda Tomoyuki , Yamamoto Hideyuki
Published: October 2015

Objective

To investigate whether propiverine has a noradrenaline re‐uptake inhibitor and whether it acts on the lumbosacral cord or the urethral wall. In addition, we aimed to examine the effect of propiverine on leak point pressure in rats.

Methods

A total of 72 female and 30 male rats were used to examine the following: (i) the change of leak point pressure caused by intravenous agents in rats with vaginal distention; (ii) the change of leak point pressure caused by intrathecal agents in rats with vaginal distention; (iii) the noradrenaline re‐uptake inhibitor action of propiverine; and (iv) catecholamine levels in the bladder wall, urethral wall, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma after oral administration of propiverine.

Results

Intravenous injection of propiverine, imipramine and duloxetine increased the leak point pressure in rats with vaginal distention. Intrathecal naftopidil decreased the leak point pressure, whereas subsequent intravenous propiverine restored the leak point pressure to the level before intrathecal naftopidil in rats with vaginal distention. Propiverine acted like a noradrenaline re‐uptake inhibitor, increasing noradrenaline and/or dopamine levels in the plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and urethral wall perfusion fluid.

Conclusion

Propiverine inhibits noradrenaline re‐uptake, as well as having antimuscarinic and Ca‐antagonist actions. The inhibition of noradrenaline re‐uptake by propiverine mainly occurs at the urethral level and partially in the central nervous system, and might stimulate the smooth muscle of the bladder neck and proximal urethra through α1‐adrenergic receptors, as well as stimulating the striated muscle of the urethra and pelvic floor by activation of spinal motoneurons. Therefore, propiverine might be effective for both stress and urge incontinence.
Research of information systems: from parochial to international, towards global or glocal?
Authors: Martinsons Maris G.
Published: October 2015

The development over time of the Information Systems Journal and information systems (IS) research in general is examined by applying both quantitative and qualitative data analyses. The evidence suggests that the journal and the IS discipline have both evolved from parochial and national to become international. This evolution has influenced the phenomena and contexts being studied and, ultimately, theory and practice. Cultural and institutional differences are major obstacles to globalizing IS research. Based on a trilemma for theoretical development among generality, accuracy and simplicity, glocalization is suggested as an alternative to globalization. The merits of glocal research and education, with globally connected villages, are discussed.
High Electric‐Induced Strain and Temperature‐Dependent Piezoelectric Properties of 0.75BF–0.25BZT Lead‐Free Ceramics
Authors: Chen Jianguo , Cheng Jinrong
Published: October 2015

0.75BiFeO3–0.25Ba(ZrxTi1−x) + 0.6 wt% MnO2 (0.75BF–0.25BZT) ceramics with Mn addition were prepared by the solid‐state reaction method. The high‐field strain and high‐temperature piezoelectric properties of 0.75BF–0.25BZT ceramics were studied. Introduction of Zr in the solid solutions decreased the Curie temperature slightly, and improved the dielectric and piezoelectric properties obviously. The piezoelectric properties of 0.75BZT–0.25BT ceramics reached the maximum at Zr content of 10 mol%. The Curie temperature Tc, dielectric constant ε and loss tanδ (1 kHz), piezoelectric constant d33, and planner electromechanical coupling factor kp of 0.75BF–0.25BZT ceramics with 10 mol% Zr were 456°C, 650, 5%, 138 pC/N, and 0.30, respectively. The high‐field bipolar and unipolar strain under an electric field of 100 kV/cm reached up to 0.55% and 0.265%, respectively, which were comparable to those of BiScO3–PbTiO3 and “soft” PZT‐based ceramics. The typical “butterfly”‐shaped bipolar strain and frequency‐dependent peak‐to‐peak strain indicated that the large high‐field‐induced strain may be due to non‐180° domain switching. Rayleigh analysis reflected that the improved piezoelectric properties resulted from the enhanced extrinsic contribution by Zr doping. The unipolar strain of 0.75BF‐0.25BZT ceramics with 10 mol% Zr was almost linear from RT to 200°C. These results indicated that 0.75BF–0.25BZT ceramics were promising candidates for high‐temperature and lead‐free piezoelectric actuators.
Desirable but not smart: preference for smarter romantic partners impairs women's STEM outcomes
Authors: Park Lora E. , Young Ariana F. , Eastwick Paul W. , Troisi Jordan D. , Streamer Lindsey
Published: October 2015

Although women today excel in many areas of society, they are often underrepresented in the traditionally male‐dominated fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The present research examined whether traditional romantic partner preferences—specifically, a desire to date partners who are smarter than oneself—affects women's tendency to minimize their intelligence in STEM fields when pursuing romantic goals. Women (but not men) who preferred smarter romantic partners showed worse math performance (Studies 1–2), less identification with math (Study 2), and less interest in STEM careers (Study 3) when the goal to be romantically desirable was activated. A meta‐analysis across studies supported results. This research thus demonstrates that partner preferences influence women's STEM outcomes in response to romantic goal pursuit.
Europeanization through Policy Networks in the Southern Neighbourhood: Advancing Renewable Energy Rules in Morocco and Algeria
Authors: Katsaris Angelos
Published: October 2015

This research contributes to the literatures of Europeanization and European public administration by investigating EU rule advancement outside Europe. The article argues that the European Commission requires professional networks to advance the European Union (EU) acquis in Morocco and Algeria regarding climate change mitigation. However, certain conditions determine its network‐building efforts outside Europe. Functional interests and sectoral interdependence provide the Commission with increased bargaining power in Morocco. Thus, market access and expertise offers trigger Morocco to develop technical dialogue over renewable energies. Instead, a Commission‐led technical network over renewable energies creates antagonistic relations with the Algerian state elite. An alternative energy relationship with Europe beyond conventional resources could incur revenue losses for the state and a shift towards a different economic model. As a result, state hierarchies intervene in network‐building and lead professionals to stagnant outcomes. The study takes an actor‐centred approach, opting for proximity in network operations.
Societal Empowerment and Europeanization: Revisiting the EU's Impact on Democratization
Authors: Noutcheva Gergana
Published: October 2015

The Europeanization literature predominantly credits the empowerment of pro‐reform political elites through the EU's incentives for the democratization of non‐EU countries. The existing studies under‐emphasize the societal dimension of the EU's impact and the normative context in which the EU's leverage is applied. Taking a societal perspective, this article examines societal empowerment as an alternative to elite empowerment and proposes four mechanisms of EU influence on democratization through societies taking into account the EU's structural power and actorness, and considering their effects on the societal sphere and societal actions. Applying the mechanisms to a tough case for societal mobilization for democracy – Bulgaria – the article shows how the EU, through representing a legitimate model of democratic governance, has created a strong pro‐reform societal constituency that can sustain the democratic dynamic. The article also demonstrates the relevance of cross‐national diffusion processes for pro‐democracy societal mobilization.
Interparty Judicial Appointments
Authors: Remy Nash Jonathan
Published: October 2015

Empirical studies of judges’ ideological voting call for a theory according to which the ideology of the judges can be measured. This article calls into question the assumption that undergirds the measure that currently dominates the legal, economic, and political science literature—the assumption that the ideology of a lower federal court judge is largely predicted by the ideologies of the nominating president and the relevant state's senators who are of the same political party as the president. The article relies on a natural experiment to examine this question empirically. Between 1977 and 1998, New York was represented in the Senate by one Democrat and one Republican who had an agreement to divide appointments to the district courts in the state: the senator who shared party affiliation with the president would be allocated three of every four appointments, while the “out‐of‐party” senator would be allocated the rest. The article employs a novel data set—consisting of all federal district judges appointed to the federal bench in New York during the time period in question, and the senator who recommended each nominee to the nominating president. If the dominant theory—that the party of the recommending senator affects judicial decision making—holds, then one would expect the theory's explanatory power to be at its apex where senators of different parties recommend judges at the same time to the same president. Yet, using median prison sentence length as a proxy for ideology in decision making, the empirical analysis finds no evidence that senatorial ideology has a statistically significant effect on district judge decision making. At the same time, it finds that, indeed, the nominating president's ideology does have a statistically significant effect. The findings are instead consistent with the minority view of lower federal court judges’ ideological leanings—that a lower federal court judge's ideology is in large part a function solely of the nominating president's ideology.
Director Liability Protection, Earnings Management, and Audit Pricing
Authors: Khan Sarfraz , Wald John K.
Published: October 2015

We examine how a firm's director liability protection is related to earnings management and audit pricing. Firms whose directors are protected from litigation either by state laws or through clauses in the firm's charter have significantly more accruals management. This relation is significant after the passage of the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act but not before. We also find evidence of a positive association between director protection and auditor fees. The results are robust to a number of alternative specifications, including one that instruments for director liability protection.
The Leviathan's Rule by Law
Authors: Li Ji
Published: October 2015

How and how well do authoritarian states rule by law? Extant literature does not fully answer these questions. By analyzing a unique set of time‐series data and archives, this article investigates a variety of legal measures (the death penalty, formal judicial guidance, and the revision and upgrade of substantive rules) implemented by the Chinese government in response to a critical threat–pipeline vandalization. The findings of this study cast doubt on the alleged deterrent effect of capital punishment. Moreover, it finds the supreme judicial bodies in China to be ready servants of the state's core interests, yet their service adds marginal value as legal dynamics at the local level are shaped mainly by the power distribution of relevant parties. Furthermore, the statutory upgrade does not benefit, and may even harm, pipeline safety. As the upgrade codified the status quo of the bargaining between the oil SOEs and the local governments, the statutory allocation of primary protective responsibilities to the former might have relieved the latter from active participation in pipeline protection that is essential to preventing oil thefts. Findings from this research contribute to the literatures on Chinese law and politics, capital punishment, and the rule by law in authoritarian regimes.
Predicting On‐Road Driving Performance and Safety in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults
Authors: Jones Ross Rachel W. , Scialfa Charles T. , Cordazzo Sheila T. D.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the ability to predict on‐road driving in cognitively impaired older drivers.

Design

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Setting

Laboratory tests and on‐road assessment.

Participants

Drivers with cognitive impairment (Mini‐Mental State Examination score < 26, N = 43, mean age 74).

Measurements

The Roadwise Review, a hazard perception test (HPT), several vision tests, and a standardized 18‐km driving assessment.

Results

The best prediction of passing or failing the on‐road test was a combination of the HPT, leg strength, visual acuity, visual search and working memory, and number of medications taken (Nagelkerke coefficient of determination = 0.40). The sensitivity of the model was 71%, and the specificity was 75%.

Conclusion

Further research is required to determine how these tests may be used or combined with other data (e.g., medical history) to assess fitness to drive of cognitively impaired older drivers.
Challenges in the Pharmacological Management of Nursing Home Residents with Overactive Bladder or Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Zarowitz Barbara J. , Allen Carrie , O'Shea Terrence , Tangalos Eric G. , Berner Todd , Ouslander Joseph G.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To determine the proportion of nursing home (NH) residents (NHR) with overactive bladder (OAB) or urinary incontinence (UI) with potential pharmacodynamic contraindications to antimuscarinic treatment because of concomitant anticholinergic medications or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and nonpharmacological limitations to antimuscarinic treatment.

Design

Cross‐sectional retrospective analysis.

Setting

U.S. skilled nursing facilities.

Participants

Nursing home residents with a diagnosis of OAB or UI.

Measurements

Linked and deidentified pharmacy claims and Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 records (October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2012).

Results

Of NHRs, 71.3% received at least one anticholinergic medication. Medications that can cause or worsen UI were used commonly. AChEIs and antimuscarinic treatment were prescribed concurrently in 24% of NHRs with OAB or UI. NHRs with OAB or UI were more likely to have concurrent moderate to severe cognitive impairment (MSCI) (70.1%) than those without (29.9%) (P < .001). NHRs with or without OAB or UI and with MSCI were more likely to be treated with an anticholinergic medication than those without MSCI (P = .001). When NHRs with MSCI, severe mobility impairment (SMI), and anticholinergic medication and AChEI use were excluded, only a small proportion of NHRs were potential candidates for antimuscarinic treatment (6.6% with OAB or UI, 6.2% with UI).

Conclusions

This study advances understanding of the challenges in prescribing antimuscarinic treatment safely and appropriately in elderly NHRs with a high prevalence of drug interactions, underlying MSCI, and SMI.
A Practice Improvement Education Program Using a Mentored Approach to Improve Nursing Facility Depression Care—Preliminary Data
Authors: Chodosh Joshua , Price Rachel M. , Cadogan Mary P. , Damron‐Rodriguez JoAnn , Osterweil Dan , Czerwinski Alfredo , Tan Zaldy S. , Merkin Sharon S. , Gans Daphna , Frank Janet C.
Published: October 2015

Depression is common in nursing facility residents. Depression data obtained using the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 offer opportunities for improving diagnostic accuracy and care quality. How best to integrate MDS 3.0 and other data into quality improvement (QI) activity is untested. The objective was to increase nursing home (NH) capability in using QI processes and to improve depression assessment and management through focused mentorship and team building. This was a 6‐month intervention with five components: facilitated collection of MDS 3.0 nine‐item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9) and medication data for diagnostic interpretation; education and modeling on QI approaches, team building, and nonpharmacological depression care; mentored team meetings; educational webinars; and technical assistance. PHQ‐9 and medication data were collected at baseline and 6 and 9 months. Progress was measured using team participation measures, attitude and care process self‐appraisal, mentor assessments, and resident depression outcomes. Five NHs established interprofessional teams that included nursing (44.1%), social work (20.6%), physicians (8.8%), and other disciplines (26.5%). Members participated in 61% of eight offered educational meetings (three onsite mentored team meetings and five webinars). Competency self‐ratings improved on four depression care measures (P = .05 to <.001). Mentors observed improvement in team process and enthusiasm during team meetings. For 336 residents with PHQ‐9 and medication data, depression scores did not change while medication use declined, from 37.2% of residents at baseline to 31.0% at 9 months (P < .001). This structured mentoring program improved care processes, achieved medication reductions, and was well received. Application to other NH‐prevalent syndromes is possible.
Evaluation of the Usefulness of Consensus Definitions of Sarcopenia in Older Men: Results from the Observational Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Cohort Study
Authors: Cawthon Peggy M. , Blackwell Terri L. , Cauley Jane , Kado Deborah M. , Barrett‐Connor Elizabeth , Lee Christine G. , Hoffman Andrew R. , Nevitt Michael , Stefanick Marcia L. , Lane Nancy E. , Ensrud Kristine E. , Cummings Steven R. , Orwoll Eric S.
Published: October 2015

Objective

To evaluate the associations between definitions of sarcopenia and clinical outcomes and the ability of the definitions to discriminate those with a high likelihood of having these outcomes from those with a low likelihood.

Design

Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study.

Setting

Six clinical centers.

Participants

Community‐dwelling men aged 65 and older (N = 5,934).

Measurements

Sarcopenia definitions from the International Working Group, European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Persons, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project, Baumgartner, and Newman were evaluated. Recurrent falls were defined as two or more self‐reported falls in the year after baseline (n = 694, 11.9%). Incident hip fractures (n = 207, 3.5%) and deaths (n = 2,003, 34.1%) were confirmed according to central review of medical records over 9.8 years. Self‐reported functional limitations were assessed at baseline and 4.6 years later. Logistic regression or proportional hazards models were used to estimate associations between sarcopenia and falls, hip fractures, and death. The discriminative ability of the sarcopenia definitions (vs reference models) for these outcomes was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve or C‐statistics. Referent models included age alone for falls, functional limitations and mortality, and age and bone mineral density for hip fractures.

Results

The association between sarcopenia according to the various definitions and risk of falls, functional limitations, and hip fractures was variable; all definitions were associated with greater risk of death, but none of the definitions materially changed discrimination based on the AUC and C‐statistic when compared with reference models (change ≤1% in all models).

Conclusion

Sarcopenia definitions as currently constructed did not consistently improve prediction of clinical outcomes in relatively healthy older men.
Use of Renally Inappropriate Medications in Older Veterans: A National Study
Authors: Chang Flora , O'Hare Ann M. , Miao Yinghui , Steinman Michael A.
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To determine how many ambulatory older adults with chronic kidney disease receive medications that are contraindicated or dosed excessively given their level of renal function.

Design

Cross‐sectional retrospective study.

Setting

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics.

Participants

Individuals aged 65 and older with a creatinine clearance (CrCl) of 15 to 49 mL/min (N = 83,850; mean age 80; 96% male).

Measurements

Forty medications that require dose adjustment or are contraindicated in people with impaired renal function were examined. Medication use and CrCl (calculated using the Cockroft‐Gault equation) were assessed using VA pharmacy, laboratory, and other data sources as of October 2007.

Results

Thirteen percent of older veterans with a CrCl of 30 to 49 mL/min and 32% of those with a CrCl of 15 to 29 mL/min received one or more drugs that were contraindicated or prescribed at an excessive dose given the individual's level of renal function. The strongest risk factor for renally inappropriate prescribing was number of medications used; the risk of receiving renally inappropriate medications was 5.5 times as high (95% confidence interval = 5.1–5.9) in older adults taking 10 or more medications as in those taking one to three medications. Ranitidine, allopurinol, and metformin together accounted for 76% of renally misprescribed medications in individuals with a CrCl of 30 to 49 mL/min. Glyburide, ranitidine, gemfibrozil, carvedilol, and allopurinol accounted for 47% of renally misprescribed drugs for individuals with a CrCl of 15 to 29 mL/min.

Conclusion

Inappropriate prescribing of renally cleared medications is common in ambulatory older veterans, with only a few medications accounting for most of these prescribing problems.
Delinking Legitimacies: A Pluriversal Perspective on Political CSR
Authors: Ehrnström‐Fuentes Maria
Published: October 2015

This study critically examines the concept of political CSR, or legitimacy creation through deliberation, as something that can be universally agreed upon in places where incommensurable differences exist. Through a comparative case study of two local stakeholder groups – one urban and one rural – involved in a conflict over a pulp mill in the south of Chile, this paper asks: 1) why did the two groups choose different participation strategies in the deliberation over the desirability of the mill? Based on multiple data sources, the study finds differences in how each community made sense of the world through place‐bound social imaginaries, which affected the stakeholders’ willingness to participate in deliberation. The findings suggest that legitimacy cannot be universally secured through dialogues that seek consensus at the expense of occluded imaginaries, rather it exists as a pluriversal construct. If political CSR is to play a role in legitimacy creation across imaginaries, the focus should be on constructing economic alternatives embedded in place that supports the co‐existence of different forms of life.
Status Perceptions Matter: Understanding Disliking Among Adolescents
Authors: Pál Judit , Stadtfeld Christoph , Grow André , Takács Károly
Published: October 2015

The emergence of disliking relations depends on how adolescents perceive the relative informal status of their peers. This phenomenon is examined on a longitudinal sample using dynamic network analysis (585 students across 16 classes in five schools). As hypothesized, individuals dislike those who they look down on (disdain), and conform to others by disliking those who they perceive as being looked down on by their peers (conformity). The inconsistency between status perceptions also leads to disliking, when individuals do not look up to those who they perceive to be admired by peers (frustration). Adolescents are not more likely to dislike those who they look up to (admiration). The results demonstrate the role of status perceptions on disliking tie formation.
Doing Well by Doing Good? The Self‐interest of Buying Firms and Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Authors: Busse Christian
Published: October 2015

This paper investigates how changes in sustainability‐related conditions (SRCs) at a supplier influence buyers’ economic performance. Using a conceptual theory‐building approach and drawing on instrumental stakeholder theory, this research identifies four mediating effects through which suppliers’ SRCs affect buyers’ economic performance. The four mediating factors are purchasing costs, supply chain sustainability risk costs, cooperation benefits, and benefits stemming from spillovers of a supplier's self‐promotion. Purchasing costs exert a negative influence on buyers’ performance, whereas the other three factors contribute positively to performance. The study also suggests that the anticipation of performance effects which are salient to the buyer triggers efforts to improve the supplier's SRCs. This research makes several contributions. First, the study identifies and analyzes the causal pathways through which a supplier's SRCs influence buyers’ performance, thus contributing to the development of sustainable supply chain management theory. Second, the study helps buyers make better decisions about their suppliers. Finally, the study provides a conceptual platform for improved dialogue between stakeholders and buyers.
New Methodology for Investigating Ejaculation Dysfunction: Measuring Intraluminal Seminal Vesicle Pressure in Rats with a Telemetric Device
Authors: Sung Hyun Hwan , Kim Jung Jun , Han Deok Hyun , Kang Su Jeong , Chae Mee Ree , Kim Chul Young , Park Jong Kwan , Lee Sung Won
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Ejaculation dysfunction is one of the most common male sexual disorders. Despite its prevalence and adverse impact on patients, little attention has been given to investigating ejaculation dysfunction.

Aim

We introduce a new method for evaluating ejaculation dysfunction in rats with a telemetric device.

Methods

A pressure transducer was surgically implanted in the seminal vesicles of 7-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats. One week later, the rats were subcutaneously administered tamsulosin 3 μg/kg, and intra-seminal vesicle pressure (ISVP) was recorded in freely moving rats after an injection of apomorphine (80 μg/kg). Same rats repeated experiment with tamsulosin 10 μg/kg, silodosin 1 mg/kg, and normal saline with 3-day intervals.

Main Outcome Measure

Sexual events were visually identified and recorded. Ejaculation was confirmed by visualization of a copulatory plug in the tip of the penis. We compared the maximal ISVP and area under the curve (AUC) of the ISVP.

Results

Adequate ISVP data were easily recorded and available in 66.6% rats (10/15) over a 6-week telemetric recording period (12 recordings). The mean number of ejaculations during an inspection time of 30 minutes was 1.5 ± 0.1. The maximal ISVP values in rats receiving 3 μg/kg (30.0 ± 5.2 mm Hg) and 10 μg/kg tamsulosin (15.1 ± 1.6 mm Hg) and 1 mg/kg silodosin (12.9 ± 2.2 mm Hg) were significantly lower than that in control rats (61.4 ± 13.4 mm Hg, P < 0.05). The AUC values in rats receiving 3 μg/kg (72.7 ± 18.9 mm Hg × s) and 10 μg/kg tamsulosin (23.5 ± 6.1 mm Hg) and 1 mg/kg silodosin (23.9 ± 8.0 mm Hg) were also lower than that of control rats (162.6 ± 34.3 mm Hg, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Telemetric ISVP assessment is reliable and feasible for investigating apomorphine-induced ejaculation in rats. Tamsulosin (3 μg/kg and 10 μg/kg) and silodosin 1 mg/kg decreased the ISVP during ejaculation.
The effects of DASH diet on weight loss and metabolic status in adults with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Razavi Zade Mohsen , Telkabadi Mohammad Hosein , Bahmani Fereshteh , Salehi Behnaz , Farshbaf Shima , Asemi Zatollah
Published: October 2015

Background & Aims

This study was designed to determine the effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet on weight loss and metabolic status in overweight patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods

This randomized controlled clinical trial was done among 60 overweight and obese patients with NAFLD. Patients were randomly allocated to consume either the control (n = 30) or the DASH eating pattern (n = 30) for 8 weeks. Both diets were designed to be calorie‐restricted. Both diets were consisted of 52–55% carbohydrates, 16–18% proteins and 30% total fats; however, the DASH diet was designed to be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low‐fat dairy products and low in saturated fats, cholesterol and refined grains.

Results

Adherence to the DASH eating pattern, compared to the control diet, weight (P = 0.006), BMI (P = 0.01), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P = 0.02), alkalin phosphatase (ALP) (P = 0.001), insulin levels (P = 0.01), homoeostasis model of assessment‐estimated insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) (P = 0.01) significantly decreased and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) (P = 0.004) significantly increased. Compared with the control diet, the DASH diet has resulted in significant reductions in serum triglycerides (P = 0.04) and total‐/HDL‐cholesterol ratio (P = 0.01). Finally, decreased concentrations of serum high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) (P = 0.03), malondialdehyde (MDA) (P = 0.04), increased levels of nitric oxide (NO) (P = 0.01) and glutathione (GSH) (P = 0.009) were found in the DASH group compared with the control group.

Conclusions

Consumption of DASH diet for 8 weeks among patients with NAFLD had beneficial effects on weight, BMI, ALT, ALP, triglycerides, markers of insulin metabolism, inflammatory markers, GSH and MDA.
Complex patterns of cis‐regulatory polymorphisms in ebony underlie standing pigmentation variation in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Miyagi Ryutaro , Akiyama Noriyoshi , Osada Naoki , Takahashi Aya
Published: October 2015

Pigmentation traits in adult Drosophila melanogaster were used in this study to investigate how phenotypic variations in continuous ecological traits can be maintained in a natural population. First, pigmentation variation in the adult female was measured at seven different body positions in 20 strains from the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) originating from a natural population in North Carolina. Next, to assess the contributions of cis‐regulatory polymorphisms of the genes involved in the melanin biosynthesis pathway, allele‐specific expression levels of four genes were quantified by amplicon sequencing using a 454 GS Junior. Among those genes, ebony was significantly associated with pigmentation intensity of the thoracic segment. Detailed sequence analysis of the gene regulatory regions of this gene indicated that many different functional cis‐regulatory alleles are segregating in the population and that variations outside the core enhancer element could potentially play important roles in the regulation of gene expression. In addition, a slight enrichment of distantly associated SNP pairs was observed in the ~10 kb cis‐regulatory region of ebony, which suggested the presence of interacting elements scattered across the region. In contrast, sequence analysis in the core cis‐regulatory region of tan indicated that SNPs within the region are significantly associated with allele‐specific expression level of this gene. Collectively, the data suggest that the underlying genetic differences in the cis‐regulatory regions that control intraspecific pigmentation variation can be more complex than those of interspecific pigmentation trait differences, where causal genetic changes are typically confined to modular enhancer elements.
Immunomodulatory effect of ghrelin in the intestinal mucosa
Authors: Eissa N. , Ghia J.E.
Published: October 2015

The gastrointestinal tract is the largest endocrine organ in the body and it produces a wide array of hormones and neuropeptides. Ghrelin, a 28‐amino acid hormone produced mainly by the X/A‐like endocrine cells in the gastric mucosa, has widespread tissue distribution and diverse physiological functions such as hormonal, orexigenic, metabolic, cardiovascular, neurological and immunological activities. Recent research has implicated ghrelin in gastrointestinal pathological conditions and immune system regulation, but its contribution is controversial. Although ghrelin levels are elevated in clinical active inflammatory bowel diseases, confirmation of its exact role using experimental models remains unclear. This review discusses the conflicting effects of ghrelin on intestinal inflammation, through the different possible immune and intracellular mechanisms and highlights new findings.
T cells, teeth and tissue destruction – what do T cells do in periodontal disease?
Authors: Campbell L. , Millhouse E. , Malcolm J. , Culshaw S.
Published: October 2015

The microbial plaque biofilm resides adjacent to the tissue‐destructive inflammatory infiltrate in periodontitis. Although not sufficient, this biofilm is necessary for this inflammatory response. Patients with periodontitis generate antibodies specific for bacteria in the biofilm – although the role of these antibodies is not clear, there is, undoubtedly, an adaptive immune response in periodontitis. T lymphocytes are central to adaptive immunity, and provide help for B cells to generate specific antibodies. T‐cell receptor recognition of peptide antigen in the context of major histocompatibility complex can result in T‐cell activation. The activation and differentiation of the T‐cell can take many forms, and hence numerous types of T cells have been described. The role of adaptive immune responses, and the T‐cell component thereof, in periodontitis remains relatively poorly defined. This review aims to broadly summarize findings about T cells and their role in periodontitis, focusing primarily on studies of human disease with a short discussion of some animal studies.