bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk screening of non‐native freshwater fishes in Croatia and Slovenia using the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit
Authors: Piria M. , Povž M. , Vilizzi L. , Zanella D. , Simonović P. , Copp G. H.
Published: January 2016

The Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK) version 2 was used to assess the invasiveness potential of 40 introduced and translocated freshwater fish species to Croatia and Slovenia. Based on a priori classification of invasiveness, receiver operating characteristic analysis of FISK scores from two independent assessors resulted in a statistically significant calibration threshold of 11.75. This indicated that FISK was able to discriminate reliably between non‐native species likely to pose a high risk of being invasive and those likely to pose a medium or low risk of invasiveness. Seven species were categorised as ‘medium risk’ and the other 33 as ‘high risk’, whereas no species was categorised as ‘low risk’. The two highest scoring species were European catfish Silurus glanis and North African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Mean scores for all species classified a priori as invasive were ranked as ‘high risk’ sensu lato and fell into the ‘moderately high risk’ subcategory. FISK proved to be a valid tool for assessing the risks posed by non‐native fishes in Croatia and Slovenia. For this reason, it can be adopted as a reliable tool for the prevention of new translocations or introductions of potentially invasive species in the risk assessment area, as well as to assist in decisions regarding future management (i.e. monitoring, control and eradication) and conservation strategies.
Early detection of reproduction deficits and the compensatory potential of enhancement stocking for vendace, Coregonus albula, fisheries in German lakes
Authors: Wanke T. , Brämick U. , Mehner T.
Published: January 2016

Enhancement stocking is a widespread but rarely evaluated practice in German vendace, Coregonus albula L. fisheries, which is precautionarily carried out to buffer yield fluctuations. However, it is assumed that stocking of larval vendace can elevate year‐class strength only in the presence of substantial reproductive deficits, which so far cannot be detected prior to the spring time period when stocking is conducted by fisheries managers. Simple measures for the early quantification of natural reproduction were tested, and the efficiency of larval enhancement stocking in a lake with strong reproduction deficits was analysed. Analysis in four lakes over 3 years revealed a significant positive correlation between standardised catches of vendace larvae caught with pump‐driven illuminated traps in spring and the abundance of young‐of‐year (YoY) vendace in the following autumn, whereas standardised catches of spawners were insufficient to forecast YoY recruitment. In a lake with low natural vendace reproduction, stocked vendace contributed 73–100% of year‐class strength and fisheries yield. Accordingly, enhancement stocking can efficiently compensate for reproduction deficits, and the simple larvae sampling method may facilitate early detection of these deficits, which would allow fisheries managers to respond accordingly through larvae stocking.
Movement patterns of adult peacock bass Cichla temensis between tributaries of the middle Negro River basin (Amazonas – Brazil): an otolith geochemical analysis
Authors: Sousa R. G. C. , Humston R. , Freitas C. E. C.
Published: January 2016

Geological heterogeneity in the Negro River basin creates differences in isotopic and elemental composition of rivers. Recent studies indicate that 87Sr/86Sr, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca can be used to determine the natal origins of peacock bass Cichla temensis (Humboldt) and reconstruct individual movement histories. This method was used to analyse otoliths from adult C. temensis collected from two locations on the mainstem Negro River and six tributaries around these core areas. Applying discriminant functions derived from young‐of‐year reference otolith data to determine natal origins of adults indicated that 42% of adults sampled were collected from the same area in which they were spawned. However, variation in 87Sr/86Sr isotope values along the axis of otoliths indicated that C. temensis movements are much more dynamic than previously concluded. This new information on the spatial distribution of C. temensis can be used to support effective strategies for fishery management in the Negro River basin.
The regional species richness and genetic diversity ofArctic vegetation reflect both past glaciations and current climate
Authors: Stewart Lærke , Alsos Inger G. , Bay Christian , Breen Amy L. , Brochmann Christian , Boulanger‐Lapointe Noémie , Broennimann Olivier , Bültmann Helga , Bøcher Peder Klith , Damgaard Christian , Daniëls Fred J. A. , Ehrich Dorothee , Eidesen Pernille Bronken , Guisan Antoine , Jónsdóttir Ingibjörg Svala , Lenoir Jonathan , le Roux Peter C. , Lévesque Esther , Luoto Miska , Nabe‐Nielsen Jacob , Schönswetter Peter , Tribsch Andreas , Tveraabak Liv Unn , Virtanen Risto , Walker Donald A. , Westergaard Kristine B. , Yoccoz Nigel G. , Svenning Jens‐Christian , Wisz Mary , Schmidt Niels Martin , Pellissier Loïc
Published: January 2016

Aim

TheArctic has experienced marked climatic differences between glacial and interglacial periods and is now subject to a rapidly warming climate. Knowledge of the effects of historical processes on current patterns of diversity may aid predictions of the responses of vegetation to future climate change. We aim to test whether plant species and genetic diversity patterns are correlated with time since deglaciation at regional and local scales. We also investigate whether species richness is correlated with genetic diversity in vascular plants.

Location

Circumarctic.

Methods

We investigated species richness of the vascular plant flora of 21 floristic provinces and examined local species richness in 6215 vegetation plots distributed across theArctic. We assessed levels of genetic diversity inferred from amplified fragment length polymorphism variation across populations of 23 commonArctic species. Correlations between diversity measures and landscape age (time since deglaciation) as well as variables characterizing current climate were analysed using spatially explicit simultaneous autoregressive models.

Results

Regional species richness of vascular plants and genetic diversity were correlated with each other, and both showed a positive relationship with landscape age. Plot species richness showed differing responses for vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens. At this finer scale, the richness of vascular plants was not significantly related to landscape age, which had a small effect size compared to the models of bryophyte and lichen richness.

Main conclusion

Our study suggests that imprints of past glaciations inArctic vegetation diversity patterns at the regional scale are still detectable today. SinceArctic vegetation is still limited by post‐glacial migration lag, it will most probably also exhibit lags in response to current and future climate change. Our results also suggest that local species richness at the plot scale is more determined by local habitat factors.
Increase in GFAP‐positive astrocytes in histone demethylase GASC1/KDM4C/JMJD2C hypomorphic mutant mice
Authors: Sudo Genki , Kagawa Tetsushi , Kokubu Yasuhiro , Inazawa Johji , Taga Tetsuya
Published: January 2016

GASC1, also known as KDM4C/JMJD2C, is a histone demethylase for histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and H3K36. In this study, we observed an increase of GFAP‐positive astrocytes in the brain of Gasc1 hypomorphic mutant mice at 2–3 months of age, but not at postnatal day 14 and day 30 by immunohistochemistry. Increases of GFAP‐positive astrocytes were widely observed in the forebrain and prominent in such regions as cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, amygdala and diencephalon, but not obvious in hippocampus. Taken together with our observations to be published elsewhere that Gasc1 hypomorphic mutant mice exhibit abnormal behaviors including hyperactivity, persistence and many types of learning and memory deficits and abnormal synaptic functions such as prolonged long‐term potentiation, the increase in GFAP‐positive astrocytes may help understand their phenotypes, because astrocytes are known to affect synaptic plasticity.
Immunohistochemical detection of the delayed formation of nonfibrillar large amyloid‐β aggregates
Authors: Ochiishi Tomoyo , Itakura Akira , Liu Lei , Akatsu Hiroyasu , Kohno Hideki , Nishimura Masaki , Yoshimune Kazuaki
Published: January 2016

The occurrence of senile plaques consisting of amyloid‐β protein (Aβ) is a major neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously developed and characterized monoclonal antibodies 31‐2 and 75‐2 that specifically bind to nonfibrillar Aβ1–42 aggregates with diameters of more than 220 and 50 nm, respectively. Here, we report the use of these antibodies to examine the aggregation of exogenous Aβ1–42 in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. From 6 to 24 h after transfection of Aβ1–42, antibody 75‐2 immunolabeled almost all transfected neurons, whereas 31‐2‐positive cells were restricted to a part of the transfected neurons and gradually increased in number. Expression of the F19S/L34P‐mutant Aβ1–42, which showed less of a tendency to aggregate, resulted in clearly reduced immunoreactivity to both antibodies. We also immunohistochemically investigated the temporal cortices of patients with AD and found that 31‐2 preferentially labeled the cores of a subpopulation of large amyloid plaques. The relative number of 31‐2‐immunoreactive plaques was found to correlate with the Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangles, but not with that of amyloid plaques. These results suggest that 31‐2‐reactive Aβ aggregates develop with a delayed time course in cultured neurons and amyloid plaques of AD brains.
Induction of protumoral CD11chigh macrophages by glioma cancer stem cells through GM‐CSF
Authors: Kokubu Yasuhiro , Tabu Kouichi , Muramatsu Nozomi , Wang Wenqian , Murota Yoshitaka , Nobuhisa Ikuo , Jinushi Masahisa , Taga Tetsuya
Published: January 2016

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are maintained under special microenvironment called niche, and elucidation and targeting of the CSC niche will be a feasible strategy for cancer eradication. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are known to be involved in cancer progression and thus can be a component of CSC niche. Although TAMs are known to play multiple roles in tumor progression, involvement of CSCs in TAM development fully remains to be elucidated. Using rat C6 glioma side population (SP) cells as a model of glioma CSCs, we here show that CSCs induce the TAM development by promoting survival and differentiation of bone marrow‐derived monocytes. CSC‐induced macrophages can be separated into two distinct subsets of cells, CD11clow and CD11chigh cells. Interestingly, only the CD11chigh subset of cells have protumoral activity, as shown by intracranial transplantation into immune‐deficient mice together with CSCs. These CD11chigh macrophages were observed in the tumor formed by co‐transplantation with CSCs. Furthermore, CSCs produced GM‐CSF and anti‐GM‐CSF antibody inhibited CSC‐induced TAM development. In conclusion, CSCs have the ability to self‐create their own niche involving TAMs through CSC‐derived GM‐CSF, which can thus be a therapeutic target in view of CSC niche disruption.
Impact of a functional linguistic approach to teacher development on content area student writing
Authors: Huang Jingzi , Berg Margaret , Siegrist Mary , Damsri Chanaichon
Published: January 2016

This paper reports on a study of a teacher development project informed by systemic functional linguistics and its impact on student writing in math and science. The study was conducted with 41 teachers from urban and rural schools enrolled in the project at a university in the US. Data, in the form of survey, interview, instructional planning, classroom observation, and student writing at different stages of teacher development, were analyzed to show impact of the teacher development. The findings indicate that teachers need a functional linguistic perspective to improve their pedagogical practice for teaching writing. A functional approach to teacher development makes an impact on not only development of teachers’ knowledge and skills but also students’ writing performance in the areas of math and science.
The Joy of the Gospel amid the Crisis of Communal Commitment
Authors: Kudiyiruppil Mary John
Published: January 2016

Chapter Two of Evangelii Gaudium constitutes a major portion of the encyclical in terms of the significant concerns it raises in the area of evangelization. This article summarizes the key teachings of Chapter Two and highlights the dominant themes and salient features together with some personal reflections. In Chapter Two of the encyclical, the pope clearly elaborates on the individual and communal factors that can weaken the spirit of evangelization and warns all to beware of the danger of falling prey to the consumerist, profit‐driven, and individualistic economy and culture. He attacks the exclusive economy, globalized indifference, and the idolatrized attitude to money, and asserts that the church is duty‐bound to show that there is a new and better way of relating to God, others, and the world. This responsibility, first and foremost, rests with evangelizers, who must be witnesses of the good news through their lives of generosity, courage, commitment, and community consciousness. The heart of the second chapter's message is a plea to all pastoral workers to come out of their private spheres, to recognize their place in the larger human family, and to engage in pastoral activities as a community in a revolution of tenderness.
Making Disciples: Pope Francis’ Paradigm for Mission
Authors: Magesa Laurenti
Published: January 2016

This article examines Chapter Three of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, specifically his explanation of the meaning of the mission of God to proclaim the gospel throughout the world of which the church is custodian. Chapter Three addresses the issue of evangelizing in the context of the contemporary world. In a subtle but clear way, it paints a contrast between previous approaches to evangelization with their shortcomings and the call for fresh ones, or a “new evangelization.” In the physical centre of the document, Chapter Three of Evangelii Gaudium ties together the discussion on the contemporary challenges facing mission in the first two chapters, and the practical needs of the undertaking in the last two. It emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive “inculturation” with reference to everything pertaining to evangelization. Finally, it offers guidelines about preaching an effective homily, an important dimension of ongoing catechesis and church transformation.
Chapter Four of Evangelii Gaudium: The Social Dimension of Evangelization
Authors: Himes Kenneth
Published: January 2016

This contribution summarizes the four major sections of Chapter Four of Evangelii Gaudium, and offers reflections about the papal text. It concludes with Pope Francis’ proclamation that the kerygma is at the heart of evangelization, but that the gospel message has necessary social implications. Chief among those implications are treating the poor with justice and building cultures of peace through social dialogue. Francis is not the first to say these things, but he brings a genuine modesty to expectations about the role of the Petrine ministry within the process of evangelization. He also brings a direct and urgent style to articulate the centrality of the social dimension of evangelization.
The Church in the Contemporary Ecumenical‐Missional Moment: Together towards Life in Dialogue with The Cape Town Commitment and Evangelii Gaudium
Authors: Armstrong John H.
Published: January 2016

The doctrine of the church has always been important to developments in mission and ecumenism – a fact that has been true since the birth of the modern ecumenical movement and is no less so today. This article compares three recent documents – the WCC's Together towards Life (2013), the Lausanne Movement's Cape Town Commitment (2011), and Pope Francis' exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (2014) – in light of the rise of a prominent new way of expressing the role of the church in the mission of Christ (missio Dei). This theological development has significantly impacted mission and ecumenical thinking and practice in recent decades, requiring us to consider the church's relationship to mission in a new and important way. The article reveals various aspects of missio Dei theology at work in all three of these documents, and finally looks at the visionary leadership of Pope Francis in calling the Catholic Church to a joyful expression of the gospel of Christ through both words and deeds. EG does not so much address the doctrine of the church as it assumes it. Its concern is far more pastoral: “How do we more effectively and powerfully communicate the gospel in our time?”
“Blessed Are You Who Are Poor”: The Poor in Together towards Life, The Cape Town Commitment, and Evangelii Gaudium
Authors: Bargár Pavol
Published: January 2016

The present article explores the issue of the poor in three recent major documents on mission and evangelism/evangelization – Together towards Life (TTL), The Cape Town Commitment (CCT), and Evangelii Gaudium (EG) – arguing that they have several commonalities, as well as differences, with regard to mission and the poor. In convergence, they acknowledge a central place of the poor in Christian mission; address personal and structural aspects of poverty; and perceive the poor in close relation to other disadvantaged groups. But they diverge in emphases: TTL focuses on the role of the Spirit of God in empowering the poor/marginalized, acknowledges the agency of the poor/marginalized, and sees them in close relation to the earth/creation in their cry for justice; CTC introduces the issue of poverty in the framework of the spiritual warfare discourse, addresses the challenging topic of the prosperity gospel, and reasons biblically for the cause of the poor; and EG critiques contemporary socio‐economic realities, emphasizes that the church as a whole must champion the poor, and warns against peace efforts becoming a pretext for neglecting the poor. This article argues that a “synoptic” reading of the three documents on the topic allows us to benefit from the rich ecclesial and theological traditions behind the texts, and can engender more appropriate responses for both missiology and mission on this important issue.
Missionary Discipleship as the Innovation of the Church in Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium
Authors: Auvinen‐Pöntinen Mari‐Anna
Published: January 2016

Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium talks about discipleship in a framework of mission and evangelization. Rather than concentrating on the discipleship as such, it uses as a lens the spiritual commitment of conversion to missionary discipleship, challenging all Christians and the whole Church, including institutional structures, to this conversion. In common with the World Council of Churches’ document Together towards Life, Evangelii Gaudium emphasizes a need for Christians to focus on the heart of the Gospel, the love of the trinitarian God, in order to find trustful, dynamic, and transformative mission for the “changing landscapes” of today's global and local phenomena. This article deals with the concept of missionary discipleship in Evangelii Gaudium. To this end it discusses discipleship and its underlying structure of continual conversion as it is represented in both Evangelii Gaudium and the WCC's mission document Together towards Life.
The Joy of the Gospel of Life
Authors: Coorilos Geevarghese
Published: January 2016

Together towards Life (TTL) and Evangelii Gaudium (EG) convey a renewed and fresh understanding of mission and evangelism that speaks meaningfully to the contemporary context, reminds churches of their primary task of mission and evangelism, and challenges them to reflect on and practice mission and evangelism with joy and life. This essay strives to discuss three important aspects of mission and evangelism that TTL and EG share, albeit with their own distinct perspective. The inseparability of ecclesiology and missiology is one affirmation that is commonly shared by TTL and EG.
Yes to Mission Spirituality
Authors: Baker Jonny
Published: January 2016

This contribution explores mission spirituality in Evangelii Gaudium, Together towards Life, and the Cape Town Commitment. The joining together of mission and spirituality is found to be an energizing and hopeful move especially in its refusal to be reduced to the private sphere and fueling of a life that participates in creation's healing. Passion is suggested as a way of reflecting theologically on a spirituality of self‐giving love that stops spirituality turning inward. The unifying vision of the new creation and the contemplative posture toward culture are both welcomed wholeheartedly but have implications and call for a radical imagination about the practice of mission spirituality.
The ecological niche of a specialized subterranean spider
Authors: Mammola Stefano , Isaia Marco
Published: January 2016

Hypogean habitats offer unique opportunities for ecological studies because they are characterized by low abundance and diversity of organisms, they receive low energy inputs, they are relatively stable from a climatic point of view, and they are quite easily modeled. However, given the harsh conditions of the working environment and difficulty of access, very few studies have investigated in detail the ecology of subterranean species directly in the field. In this study, we describe the ecological niche of the subterranean spider Troglohyphantes vignai (Araneae, Linyphiidae). We monitored the population of T. vignai in a disused graphite mine in the Western Italian Alps over 1 year, and recorded the main biotic and abiotic parameters characterizing each sampling plot (i.e., temperature, humidity, prey availability, illuminance, and structural complexity). The ecological niche of T. vignai was modeled through polynomial generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and illustrated graphically by means of three‐dimensional plots and GIS techniques. The environmental range in which the probability of presence of T. vignai was higher was consistent with a trade‐off between climatic stability and food availability. Neither temporal nor spatial variation of the niche of T. vignai was detected through the year. The methodology used here may be easily adapted to other hypogean sites, paving the way to a novel understanding of niche partitioning in subterranean ecosystems.
Extremely Thin Al2O3 Surface‐Passivated Nanocrystalline ZnO Thin‐Film Transistors Designed for Low Process Temperature
Authors: Ahn Cheol Hyoun , Kim So Hee , Kim Yong‐Hoon , Cho Hyung Koun
Published: January 2016

Nanocrystalline ZnO (nc‐ZnO) thin‐film transistors (TFTs) exhibit inherent instability under bias/photo stresses, which originates from the oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface of the crystal grains. The space charge region at nanocrystal surfaces that is induced by adsorbed oxygen molecules produces a high electrical potential barrier and significantly interrupts charge transport between the source and drain in nc‐ZnO TFTs. In this article, we developed high‐performance TFTs via the continuous deposition of an extremely thin Al2O3 layer on a nc‐ZnO channel. These devices were fabricated by atomic layer deposition at an extremely low process temperature of 150°C, including both the deposition and postannealing temperatures. The nc‐ZnO TFT with an extremely thin Al2O3 layer (1.8 nm) showed a significantly higher mobility (25 cm2/Vs) compared to devices without an Al2O3 layer (3.6 cm2/Vs). This dramatic difference was ascribed to the suppression of the chemisorption of oxygen molecules at the nanocrystal surface during thermal annealing (reducing the potential barrier width/height between adjacent nanocrystals). Furthermore, ultrathin Al2O3‐covered nc‐ZnO TFTs exhibited considerably enhanced electrical/photo stability due to the reduction in adsorption/desorption events of oxygen molecules on the nanocrystal surfaces (with no change in the depletion width after illumination) under gate bias or illumination stress.
Corporate Social Performance, Competitive Advantage, Earnings Persistence and Firm Value
Authors: Gregory Alan , Whittaker Julie , Yan Xiaojuan
Published: January 2016

In this paper, using a generalised valuation framework inspired by Ohlson, we show that corporate social performance (CSP) is value relevant and that, in particular, it appears to be associated with a higher coefficient on earnings. This could be attributable to either a lower cost of equity for these firms, or greater earnings persistence. We show that, once industry membership is controlled for, any cost of capital effect is minimal. Regression tests based on realised earnings confirm that the valuation effect is attributable mainly to greater earnings persistence in firms with higher levels of CSP. These outcomes are consistent with higher CSP conferring a competitive advantage on firms.
Interleukin‐1B 31 C>T polymorphism combined with Helicobacter pylori‐modified gastric cancer susceptibility: evidence from 37 studies
Authors: Ying Hua‐Yong , Yu Bei‐Wei , Yang Zong , Yang Shan‐Shan , Bo Li‐Hong , Shan Xiao‐Yun , Wang Hui‐Jiao , Zhu Yi‐Jun , Wu Xue‐Song
Published: January 2016

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Interleukin‐1‐beta (IL‐1β) is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine and potent inhibitor of gastric acid secretion. Some studies provided evidence of the association between IL‐1B 31 polymorphism and gastric cancer risk while other studies did not. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive meta‐analysis to reassess the association. A systematic literature search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases identified 37 studies with 6108 cases and 8980 controls for this meta‐analysis. The crude odd ratios (ORs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of the association. Meta‐regression was used to determine the major source of heterogeneity across the studies. The pooled analysis did not suggest the significant association of IL‐1B 31 C>T polymorphism with gastric cancer risk. Stratified analysis was performed by ethnicity, source of control, genotype method, and indicated a significantly increased gastric cancer risk associated with IL‐1B 31T variant in the population‐based subgroup (heterozygous model: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.03–1.45). Moreover, stratified analysis by Helicobacter pylori infection status indicated that IL‐1B 31 polymorphism increased gastric cancer risk in infection‐positive subgroup (homozygous model: OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.02–1.78; heterozygous model: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04–1.66; recessive model: OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.04–1.61). The study suggested that IL‐1B 31 polymorphism might confer susceptibility to gastric cancer in the presence of H. pylori infection, indicating a gene–environment interaction in gastric carcinogenesis.
Telocytes in ileum of the Chinese giant salamander: ultrastructural evidence
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhong Shengwei , Ge Tingting , Peng Shasha , Yu Pengcheng , Zhou Zuohong , Guo Xiaoquan
Published: January 2016

Telocytes (TCs) and their telopodes (Tps) have been found in various organs of many mammals, including in lower animals. However, knowledge of TCs in lower animals is still very limited. This study identified TCs and their Tps in the ileum of the Chinese giant salamander, Andrias davidianus (Amphibia: Caudata), by transmission electron microscopy. The TCs/Tps were found near epithelial cells, glandular cells and unmyelinated nerve fibres. Moreover, exosomes were also found to be present in between TCs/Tps and these cells.
Sensitive skin
Authors: Misery L. , Loser K. , Ständer S.
Published: January 2016

Sensitive skin is a clinical condition defined by the self‐reported facial presence of different sensory perceptions, including tightness, stinging, burning, tingling, pain and pruritus. Sensitive skin may occur in individuals with normal skin, with skin barrier disturbance, or as a part of the symptoms associated with facial dermatoses such as rosacea, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Although experimental studies are still pending, the symptoms of sensitive skin suggest the involvement of cutaneous nerve fibres and neuronal, as well as epidermal, thermochannels. Many individuals with sensitive skin report worsening symptoms due to environmental factors. It is thought that this might be attributed to the thermochannel TRPV1, as it typically responds to exogenous, endogenous, physical and chemical stimuli. Barrier disruptions and immune mechanisms may also be involved. This review summarizes current knowledge on the epidemiology, potential mechanisms, clinics and therapy of sensitive skin.
Case study of evaluations that go beyond clinical outcomes to assess quality improvement diabetes programmes using the Diabetes Evaluation Framework for Innovative National Evaluations (DEFINE)
Authors: Paquette‐Warren Jann , Harris Stewart B. , Naqshbandi Hayward Mariam , Tompkins Jordan W.
Published: January 2016

Rationale, aims and objectives

Investments in efforts to reduce the burden of diabetes on patients and health care are critical; however, more evaluation is needed to provide evidence that informs and supports future policies and programmes. The newly developed Diabetes Evaluation Framework for Innovative National Evaluations (DEFINE) incorporates the theoretical concepts needed to facilitate the capture of critical information to guide investments, policy and programmatic decision making. The aim of the study is to assess the applicability and value of DEFINE in comprehensive real‐world evaluation.

Method

Using a critical and positivist approach, this intrinsic and collective case study retrospectively examines two naturalistic evaluations to demonstrate how DEFINE could be used when conducting real‐world comprehensive evaluations in health care settings.

Results

The variability between the cases and the evaluation designs are described and aligned to the DEFINE goals, steps and sub‐steps. The majority of the theoretical steps of DEFINE were exemplified in both cases, although limited for knowledge translation efforts. Application of DEFINE to evaluate diverse programmes that target various chronic diseases is needed to further test the inclusivity and built‐in flexibility of DEFINE and its role in encouraging more comprehensive knowledge translation.

Conclusions

This case study shows how DEFINE could be used to structure or guide comprehensive evaluations of programmes and initiatives implemented in health care settings and support scale‐up of successful innovations. Future use of the framework will continue to strengthen its value in guiding programme evaluation and informing health policy to reduce the burden of diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Using data mining techniques to characterize participation in observational studies
Authors: Linden Ariel , Yarnold Paul R.
Published: January 2016

Data mining techniques are gaining in popularity among health researchers for an array of purposes, such as improving diagnostic accuracy, identifying high‐risk patients and extracting concepts from unstructured data. In this paper, we describe how these techniques can be applied to another area in the health research domain: identifying characteristics of individuals who do and do not choose to participate in observational studies. In contrast to randomized studies where individuals have no control over their treatment assignment, participants in observational studies self‐select into the treatment arm and therefore have the potential to differ in their characteristics from those who elect not to participate. These differences may explain part, or all, of the difference in the observed outcome, making it crucial to assess whether there is differential participation based on observed characteristics. As compared to traditional approaches to this assessment, data mining offers a more precise understanding of these differences. To describe and illustrate the application of data mining in this domain, we use data from a primary care‐based medical home pilot programme and compare the performance of commonly used classification approaches – logistic regression, support vector machines, random forests and classification tree analysis (CTA) – in correctly classifying participants and non‐participants. We find that CTA is substantially more accurate than the other models. Moreover, unlike the other models, CTA offers transparency in its computational approach, ease of interpretation via the decision rules produced and provides statistical results familiar to health researchers. Beyond their application to research, data mining techniques could help administrators to identify new candidates for participation who may most benefit from the intervention.
The relationship between handling time and cortisol release rates changes as a function of brain parasite densities in California killifishFundulus parvipinnis
Authors: Weinersmith K. L. , Hanninen A. F. , Sih A. , McElreath R. , Earley R. L.
Published: January 2016

This study validated a technique for non‐invasive hormone measurements in California killifishFundulus parvipinnis, and looked for associations between cortisol (a stress hormone) and 11‐ketotestosterone (KT, an androgen) release rates and the density or intensity of the trematode parasitesEuhaplorchis californiensis(EUHA) andRenicola buchanani(RENB) in wild‐caught, naturally infectedF. parvipinnis. In experiment 1,F. parvipinniswere exposed to an acute stressor by lowering water levels to dorsal‐fin height and repeatedly handling the fish over the course of an hour. Neither parasite was found to influence cortisol release rates in response to this acute stressor. In experiment 2, differentF. parvipinniswere exposed on four consecutive days to the procedure for collecting water‐borne hormone levels and release rates of 11‐KTand cortisol were quantified. This design examined whetherF. parvipinnisperceived the water‐borne collection procedure to be a stressor, while also exploring how parasites influenced hormone release rates under conditions less stressful than those in experiment 1. No association was found betweenRENBand hormone release rates, or betweenEUHAand 11‐KTrelease rates. The interaction betweenEUHAdensity and handling time, however, was an important predictor of cortisol release rates. The relationship between handling time and cortisol release rates was negative forF. parvipinnisharbouring low or intermediate density infections, and became positive for fish harbouring high densities ofEUHA.
Effects of a Stepwise Multidisciplinary Intervention for Challenging Behavior in Advanced Dementia: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Pieper Marjoleine J. C. , Francke Anneke L. , van der Steen Jenny T. , Scherder Erik J. A. , Twisk Jos W. R. , Kovach Christine R. , Achterberg Wilco P.
Published: January 2016

Objectives

To assess whether implementation of a stepwise multicomponent intervention (STA OP!) is effective in reducing challenging behavior and depression in nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

Design

Cluster randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Twenty‐one clusters (single independent nursing home units) in 12 nursing homes within the Netherlands.

Participants

Residents with advanced dementia (N = 288).

Intervention

Staff working on intervention units received comprehensive stepwise multidisciplinary training; the control condition received training on general nursing skills, dementia management and pain without the stepwise component.

Measurements

The primary outcome was agitation (Cohen‐Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI)). Secondary outcomes included psychotropic medication use, neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory—Nursing Home version (NPI‐NH)), and symptoms of depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), Minimum Dataset Depression Rating Scale (MDS‐DRS)). Measurements were made at baseline and 3 and 6 months after the intervention. Multilevel analysis and logistical generalized estimating equations were used to test treatment and time effects. Analysis was on an intention‐to‐treat basis.

Results

Multilevel modeling revealed an overall effect of the intervention on challenging behavior and depression; CMAI (mean difference −4.07 points, 95% confidence interval = (CI) = −7.90 to −0.24, P = .02), NPI‐NH (mean difference −3.57 points, 95% CI = −6.30 to −0.84, P = .005), CSDD (mean difference −1.59 points, 95% CI = −2.49 to −0.69, P < .001), and MDS‐DRS (mean difference −0.96 points, 95% CI = −1.40 to −0.52, P < .001) scores were significantly lower in the intervention condition than the control condition. There was a significant reduction of antidepressants (N06A) (OR = 0.32); nonsignificant reductions of antipsychotics (N05A), anxiolytics (N05B), and hypnotic–sedatives (N05C) (odds ratios = 0.69 to 0.90).

Conclusion

For nursing home residents with advanced dementia and challenging behavior, providing staff with comprehensive training in behavioral management, resulted in improved behavior and less psychotropic medication use.
Achieving High‐Quality Multicultural Geriatric Care
Authors:   Developed by the American Geriatrics Society Ethnogeriatrics Committee
Published: January 2016

As the ethnic diversity of the U.S. population increases, there is a growing awareness of healthcare disparities and the need to address them. This position statement that the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Ethnogeriatrics Committee developed outlines healthcare disparities in the United States and the minimum quality indicators that healthcare organizations and healthcare providers should adopt to ensure that all older adults receive care that is culturally appropriate and takes into account level of health literacy.
A Geriatric Perspective on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
Authors: Parham Kourosh , Kuchel George A.
Published: January 2016

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo in older adults. Beyond the unpleasant sensation of vertigo, BPPV also negatively affects older adults' gait and balance and increases their risk of falling. As such it has a profound effect on function, independence, and quality of life. Otoconia are the inner ear structures that help detect horizontal and vertical movements. Aging contributes to the fragmentation of otoconia, whose displacement into the semicircular, most commonly posterior canals, can produce rotatory movement sensations with head movement. BPPV is more commonly idiopathic in older adults than in younger individuals, can present atypically, and has a more‐protracted course and higher risk of recurrence. Medications such as meclizine that are commonly prescribed for BPPV can be associated with significant side effects. Dix‐Hallpike and Head Roll tests can generally identify the involved canal. Symptoms resolve as otoconia fragments dissolve into the endolymph, but appropriate canalith repositioning (e.g., Epley maneuver) can expedite recovery and reduce the burden of this disorder. Observations suggesting an association between idiopathic BPPV and vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis indicate that BPPV may share risk factors with other common geriatric conditions, which highlights the importance of moving beyond purely otological considerations and addressing the needs of older adults with vertigo through a systems‐based multidisciplinary approach.
Development of Personalized Health Messages to Promote Engagement in Advance Care Planning
Authors: Fried Terri R. , Redding Colleen A. , Robbins Mark L. , Paiva Andrea L. , O'Leary John R. , Iannone Lynne
Published: January 2016

Objectives

To develop and test the acceptability of personalized intervention materials to promote advance care planning (ACP) based on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), in which readiness to change is a critical organizing construct.

Design

Development study creating an expert system delivering TTM‐personalized feedback reports and stage‐matched brochures with more‐general information on ACP and modifications based on participant reviews.

Setting

Senior centers.

Participants

Community‐living persons aged 65 and older (N = 77).

Measurements

Participant ratings of length, attractiveness, and trustworthiness of and reactions to reports and brochures.

Results

The expert system assessed participants’ readiness to engage in each of four ACP behaviors: completion of a living will, naming a health care proxy, communication with loved ones about quality vs quantity of life, and communication with clinicians about quality vs quantity of life. The system also assessed pros and cons of engagement and values and beliefs that influence engagement. The system provided individualized feedback based on the assessment, with brochures providing additional general information. Initial participant review indicating unacceptable length led to revision of feedback reports from full‐sentence paragraph format to bulleted format. After review, the majority of participants rated the materials as easy to read, trustworthy, providing new information, making them more comfortable reading about ACP, and increasing interest in participating in ACP.

Conclusion

Older adults found an expert system individualized feedback report and accompanying brochure to promote ACP engagement to highly acceptable and engaging. Additional research is necessary to examine the effects of these materials on behavior change.
Comorbidity in Drivers with Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Ranchet Maud , Tant Mark , Akinwuntan Abiodun Emmanuel , Neal Erin , Devos Hannes
Published: January 2016

Objectives

To determine the effect of comorbidity on fitness‐to‐drive recommendations that physicians and on‐road driving assessors make and to investigate the agreement in fitness‐to‐drive recommendations between physicians and on‐road driving assessors.

Design

Retrospective.

Setting

Data on comorbidities associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) and fitness‐to‐drive recommendations were investigated.

Participants

Individuals with PD who underwent an official on‐road test in Belgium (N = 72).

Measurements

Correlations between comorbidity and fitness‐to‐drive recommendations were calculated. Stepwise logistic regression models were used to investigate whether comorbidity was an independent predictor of fitness‐to‐drive recommendations (pass/fail) that the physicians or the on‐road assessors made. The percentage of agreement and the prevalence and bias‐adjusted kappa (PABAK) were used to investigate agreement between the physicians and the on‐road assessors.

Results

Moderate correlations were found between comorbidity and fitness‐to‐drive recommendations that the physicians (ρ = 0.34, P = .004) and the on‐road assessors (ρ = 0.30, P = .01) made. Comorbidity was the most important determinant (coefficient of determination = 0.16, P = .005) of the physicians fitness‐to‐drive recommendations. No significant effect of comorbidity on the on‐road recommendations was found. The physicians and the on‐road assessors agreed in 46 (64%) of the cases (PABAK = 0.46, P < .001).

Conclusion

Comorbidity plays a role in physicians' recommendations of fitness to drive that may explain, in part, inconsistencies between physicians and on‐road assessors' fitness‐to‐drive recommendations. This study indicates the need for an interdisciplinary dialogue between physicians and on‐road assessors to reach a comprehensive fitness‐to‐drive decision.
Emergency Care Use and the Medicare Hospice Benefit for Individuals with Cancer with a Poor Prognosis
Authors: Obermeyer Ziad , Clarke Alissa C. , Makar Maggie , Schuur Jeremiah D. , Cutler David M.
Published: January 2016

Objectives

To compare patterns of emergency department (ED) use and inpatient admission rates for elderly adults with cancer with a poor prognosis who enrolled in hospice to those of similar individuals who did not.

Design

Matched case–control study.

Setting

Nationally representative sample of Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries with cancer with a poor prognosis who died in 2011.

Participants

Beneficiaries in hospice matched to individuals not in hospice on time from diagnosis of cancer with a poor prognosis to death, region, age, and sex.

Measurements

Comparison ofEDuse and inpatient admission rates before and after hospice enrollment for beneficiaries in hospice and controls.

Results

Of 272,832 matched beneficiaries, 81% visited theEDin the last 6 months of life. At baseline, dailyEDuse and admission rates were not significantly different between beneficiaries in and not in hospice. By the week before death, nonhospice controls averaged 69.6EDvisits/1,000 beneficiary‐days, versus 7.6 for beneficiaries in hospice (rate ratio (RR) = 9.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.3–10.0). Inpatient admission rates in the last week of life were 63% for nonhospice controls and 42% for beneficiaries in hospice (RR= 1.51, 95%CI= 1.45–1.57). Of all beneficiaries in hospice, 28% enrolled during inpatient stays originating inEDs; they accounted for 35.7% (95%CI= 35.4–36.0%) of all hospice stays of less than 1 month and 13.9% (95%CI= 13.6–14.2%) of stays longer than 1 month.

Conclusion

Most Medicare beneficiaries with cancer with a poor prognosis visitedEDs at the end of life. Hospice enrollment was associated with lowerEDuse and admission rates. Many individuals enrolled in hospice during inpatient stays that followedEDvisits, a phenomenon linked to shorter hospice stays. These findings must be interpreted carefully given potential unmeasured confounders in matching.
An Input‐Output Model of Extended Producer Responsibility
Authors: Rodrigues João F. D. , Lorena António , Costa Inês , Ribeiro Paulo , Ferrão Paulo
Published: January 2016

Under an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system, when a producer delivers a product to the market it must also pay a takeback fee, which is used to cover the costs of end‐of‐life disposal. EPR systems are currently used in Europe and beyond to manage a variety of products, including packaging and used tires. In this article we develop an input‐output (IO) model that is able to assess the impacts of an EPR system, and is based on the waste IO (WIO) model. The WIO model is itself a hybrid‐unit model extension of the Leontief model that is able to capture the substitution effect between recycled/recovered material/energy from waste treatment and their non‐waste cognates. The resulting EPRIO model, besides the conventional direct and indirect effects of the Leontief model and the substitution effects of the WIO model, is able to capture the opportunity costs of financing the EPR system, and additionally requires the specification of an alternative waste management policy, with its own opportunity costs. The impact of an EPR policy is thus the difference between the impacts of the reference EPR and the alternative waste treament policies. The resulting model is illustrated with a simple example of a used tire management EPR system.
Adult Sexual Outcomes of Child Sexual Abuse Vary According to Relationship Status
Authors: Vaillancourt‐Morel Marie‐Pier , Godbout Natacha , Sabourin Stéphane , Briere John , Lussier Yvan , Runtz Marsha
Published: January 2016

This study tested a moderation model in which the association between child sexual abuse severity and negative sexual outcomes (i.e., sexual avoidance and compulsivity) differed as a function of relationships status (i.e., single, cohabiting, and married individuals). A sample of 1,033 adults completed self‐report questionnaires online, and 21.5% reported childhood sexual abuse. Path analyses indicated that child sexual abuse severity was associated with higher sexual compulsivity in single individuals, both higher sexual avoidance and compulsivity in cohabiting individuals, and higher sexual avoidance in married individuals. The moderation model was invariant across men and women. These results suggest that the time course of negative sexual outcomes associated with child sexual abuse may follow distinct patterns of expression according to relationship status.