bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relation between ischemia modified albumin levels and carotid intima media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Uslu Ali U. , Kucuk Adem , Balta Sevket , Ozturk Cengiz , Arslan Sevket , Tekin Levent , Kucuksen Sami , Toker Aysun , Kayrak Mehmet
Published: March 2016

Background

Cardiovascular diseases, among which atherosclerotic heart disease, are known to be one of the most important mortality and morbidity causes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ischemia modified albumin (IMA) is a potential marker that can be used to assess atherosclerosis‐related myocardial ischemia. Another frequently used marker for the assessment of atherosclerotic lesions is the carotid intima media thickness (CIMT).

Aim

To evaluate the role that IMA has on atherosclerosis development and its clinical usability in patients with RA, by assessing the values of IMA and CIMT.

Methods and materials

Our prospective study was conducted between June 2012 and March 2013 at the Rheumatology Department of Necmettin Erbakan Meram Medical School, Turkey. Fifty‐two RA patients, diagnosed according to the 1987 criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, and an age‐ and sex‐matched control group of 46 healthy subjects were included in this study.

Results

No significant difference was detected between the groups with respect to age, sex and body mass index. In the patient group the IMA and CIMT values were found to be 0.37 ± 0.12 absorbance units (ABSU) and 0.80 ± 0.22 mm, respectively, while in the control group they were 0.31 ± 0.11 ABSU and 0.51 ± 0.18 mm, respectively. The IMA and CIMT values were significantly higher in the patient group (P = 0.022 and P < 0.0001, respectively). A positive correlation was found between IMA, CIMT and Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (P = 0.016 and P = 0.002, respectively).

Conclusion

Since the values of IMA were higher in the patient group compared to controls and because of its correlation with CIMT, we suggest the use of IMA as an early marker of atherosclerosis in RA patients.
Oral oxybutynin for the treatment of hyperhidrosis: outcomes after one‐year follow‐up
Authors: Millán‐Cayetano José Francisco , del Boz Javier , Rivas‐Ruiz Francisco , Blázquez‐Sánchez Nuria , Hernández Ibáñez Carlos , de Troya‐Martín Magdalena
Published: March 2016

Background/Objectives

Although many treatments are available to address hyperhidrosis, the results are not always satisfactory. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness, optimal dosage regimen and long‐term safety of oral oxybutynin in the treatment of hyperhidrosis.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed on 110 patients who underwent treatment for hyperhidrosis between February 2007 and December 2013. Their response to treatment was evaluated using the hyperhidrosis disease severity scale at baseline, 3 and 12 months. Additionally, the safety and effectiveness of different up‐dosing and fixed‐dose regimens were compared.

Results

After 3 months of treatment, 87 of the 110 patients (79%) had responded (63%), which was considered excellent. After 12 months, 63 patients (62%) continued to respond, and the response was considered excellent in 50%. Nine patients were lost to follow up between month 3 and 12. In total, 77 and 70% of the patients who responded at 3 and 12 months, respectively, reported mild adverse events. No serious adverse events were observed. Treatment adherence was significantly higher among patients following the individualised up‐dosing regimen.

Conclusion

Oral oxybutynin may be an effective and safe option for the long‐term treatment of hyperhidrosis. To improve treatment adherence, oxybutynin dosing regimens should be individualised on the basis of the patient's tolerance and response.
Admission, management and outcomes of acute pancreatitis in intensive care
Authors: Russell Peter S. , Mittal Anhubav , Brown Lisa , McArthur Colin , Phillips Anthony J. R. , Petrov Max , Windsor John A.
Published: March 2016

Background

A review of the management of acute pancreatitis (AP) at a tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) in Auckland, New Zealand, was published in 2004. This paper aims to update this series and identify changes in admission criteria, management and outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Auckland City Hospital, with AP from 2003 to 2014 was undertaken and data compared with the previous study (1988–2001).

Results

Eighty‐four patients (male 53, mean ± SD age = 56.9 ± 15 years) with 85 admissions to ICU from 2003 to 2014 were compared with 112 patients in the previous study. Maori were over‐represented. Median duration of symptoms prior to admission to ICU decreased from 7 to 3 days. The proportion of total AP patients admitted to ICU halved and the mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score on admission decreased from mean 19.9 ± 8.2 SD to 15.4 ± 7.3 (P < 0.001). Two thirds of patients had persistent organ failure. The use of enteral feeding doubled from 46/112 (41%) to 71/85 (84%) (P < 0.001). The use of primary percutaneous drainage increased from 14/112 (13%) to 24/85 (28%) (P = 0.007). Rate of necrosectomy was similar (36/112 (32%) versus 20/85 (24%), P = 0.205), although minimally invasive necrosectomy was introduced. Overall hospital mortality decreased by 29% (P = 0.198).

Conclusion

There have been changes to the admission criteria and management in line with evolving guidelines and, overall, outcomes have improved.
S‐Nitrosothiols as Platforms for Topical Nitric Oxide Delivery
Authors: Ganzarolli de Oliveira Marcelo
Published: March 2016

Nitric oxide (NO) is a small radical species involved in several fundamental physiological processes, including the control of vascular tone, the immune response and neuronal signalling. Endothelial dysfunction with the decreased NO bioavailability is the underlying cause of several diseases and has led to the development of a wide range of systemic NO donor compounds to lower the blood pressure and control hypertensive crises. However, several potential therapeutic actions of NO, not related to the cardiovascular system, demand exclusively local actions. Primary S‐nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are endogenously found NO carriers and donors and have emerged as platforms for the localized delivery of NO in topical applications. Formulations for this purpose have evolved from low molecular weight RSNOs incorporated in polymeric films, hydrogels and viscous vehicles, to polymeric RSNOs where the SNO moiety is covalently bound to the polymer backbone. The biological actions displayed by these formulations include the increase in dermal vasodilation, the acceleration of wound healing, the killing of infectious microorganisms and an analgesic action against inflammatory pain. This MiniReview focuses on the state of the art of experimental topical formulations for NO delivery based on S‐nitrosothiols and their potential therapeutic applications.
FXIIa inhibitor rHA‐Infestin‐4: Safe thromboprotection in experimental venous, arterial and foreign surface‐induced thrombosis
Authors: May Frauke , Krupka Jennifer , Fries Marion , Thielmann Ina , Pragst Ingo , Weimer Thomas , Panousis Con , Nieswandt Bernhard , Stoll Guido , Dickneite Gerhard , Schulte Stefan , Nolte Marc W.
Published: March 2016

Haemostasis including blood coagulation is initiated upon vessel wall injury and indispensable to limit excessive blood loss. However, unregulated pathological coagulation may lead to vessel occlusion, causing thrombotic disorders, most notably myocardial infarction and stroke. Furthermore, blood exposure to foreign surfaces activates the intrinsic pathway of coagulation. Hence, various clinical scenarios, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, require robust anticoagulation consequently leading to an increased bleeding risk. This study aimed to further assess the antithrombotic efficacy of the activated factor XII (FXIIa) inhibitor, rHA‐Infestin‐4, in several thrombosis models.

In mice, rHA‐Infestin‐4 decreased occlusion rates in the mechanically‐induced arterial (Folt's) and the FeCl3‐induced venous thrombosis model. rHA‐Infestin‐4 also protected from FeCl3‐induced arterial thrombosis and from stasis‐prompted venous thrombosis in rabbits. Furthermore, rHA‐Infestin‐4 prevented occlusion in the arterio‐venous shunt model in mice and rabbits where thrombosis was induced via a foreign surface. In contrast to heparin, the haemostatic capacity in rabbits was unaffected by rHA‐Infestin‐4.

Using rodent and non‐rodent species, our data demonstrate that the FXIIa inhibitor rHA‐Infestin‐4 decreased arterial, venous and foreign surface‐induced thrombosis without affecting physiological haemostasis. Hence, we provide further evidence that targeting FXIIa represents a potent yet safe antithrombotic treatment approach, especially in foreign surface‐triggered thrombosis.
Post‐transplant bendamustine reduces GvHD while preserving GvL in experimental haploidentical bone marrow transplantation
Authors: Stokes Jessica , Hoffman Emely A. , Zeng Yi , Larmonier Nicolas , Katsanis Emmanuel
Published: March 2016

Advances in haploidentical bone marrow transplantation (h‐BMT) have drastically broadened the treatment options for patients requiring BMT. The possibility of significantly reducing the complications resulting from graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD) with the administration of post‐transplant cyclophosphamide (PT‐CY) has substantially improved the efficacy and applicability of T cell‐replete h‐BMT. However, higher frequency of disease recurrence remains a major challenge in h‐BMT with PT‐CY. There is a critical need to identify novel strategies to prevent GvHD while sparing the graft‐versus‐leukaemia (GvL) effect in h‐BMT. To this end, we evaluated the impact of bendamustine (BEN), given post‐transplant, on GvHD and GvL using clinically relevant murine h‐BMT models. We provide results indicating that post‐transplant bendamustine (PT‐BEN) alleviates GvHD, significantly improving survival, while preserving engraftment and GvL effects. We further document that PT‐BEN can mitigate GvHD even in the absence of Treg. Our results also indicate that PT‐BEN is less myelosuppressive than PT‐CY, significantly increasing the number and proportion of CD11b+Gr‐1hi cells, while decreasing lymphoid cells. In vitro we observed that BEN enhances the suppressive function of myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) while impairing the proliferation of T‐ and B‐cells. These results advocate for the consideration of PT‐BEN as a new therapeutic platform for clinical implementation in h‐BMT.
Metabonomic changes from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in tissues from rats
Authors: Wen Shi , Li Zhishui , Feng Jianghua , Bai Jianxi , Lin Xianchao , Huang Heguang
Published: March 2016

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most malignant tumors and is difficult to diagnose in the early phase. This study was aimed at obtaining the metabolic profiles and characteristic metabolites of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and PDAC tissues from Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats to establish metabonomic methods used in the early diagnosis of PDAC. In the present study, the animal models were established by embedding 7,12‐dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) in the pancreas of SD rats to obtain PanIN and PDAC tissues. After the preprocessing of tissues, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate and univariate statistical analysis was applied to identify the potential metabolic signatures and the corresponding metabolic pathways. Pattern recognition models were successfully established and differential metabolites, including glucose, amino acids, carboxylic acids and coenzymes, were screened out. Compared with the control, the trends in the variation of several metabolites were similar in both PanIN and PDAC. Kynurenate and methionine levels were elevated in PanIN but decreased in PDAC, thus, could served as biomarkers to distinguish PanIN from PDAC. Our results suggest that NMR‐based techniques combined with multivariate statistical analysis can distinguish the metabolic differences among PanIN, PDAC and normal tissues, and, therefore, present a promising approach for physiopathologic metabolism investigations and early diagnoses of PDAC.
Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs enhance IgE‐mediated activation of human basophils in patients with food anaphylaxis dependent on and independent of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs
Authors: Pascal M. , Muñoz‐Cano R. , Milà J. , Sanz M. L. , Diaz‐Perales A. , Sánchez‐López J. , García‐Moral A. , Juan M. , Valero A. , Yagüe J. , Picado C. , Bartra J.
Published: March 2016

Background

Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) act as cofactors worsening the allergic reactions induced by food allergens.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of both lysine acetylsalicylate (L‐ASA) (non‐selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor) and valdecoxib (selective COX‐2 inhibitor) in basophils activated by peach lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3) in patients with food‐dependent NSAID‐induced anaphylaxis (FDNIA).

Methods

Twenty Pru p 3‐allergic patients with FDNIA group, eleven peach anaphylaxis not exacerbated by NSAIDs (no‐NSAID group) and 5 healthy volunteers were recruited. Basophil activation (BA) was measured as expression of CD63 (Flow2CAST™; Bühlmann®), after stimulation with Pru p 3, both alone and in combination with L‐ASA (1.13, 3.38 and 6.78 mm) or valdecoxib (0.87, 7.8 and 31.25 μm).

Results

Basophils from no‐NSAID group were significantly more reactive and sensitive to Pru p 3 than those from the FDNIA group. In both groups, an increase in BA was observed when basophils were exposed to Pru p 3 and L‐ASA. In the FDNIA group, valdecoxib partially terminates the BA induced by Pru p 3, whereas in the no‐NSAID group, a dual effect was observed depending on the concentration tested.

Conclusions

This study indicates that subjects with food‐induced anaphylaxis differ from FDNIA subjects in the higher reactivity and sensitivity of their basophils to allergen challenge. We have shown a direct effect of NSAIDs on basophils using a human model of FDNIA. Our results also suggest that selective COX2 inhibitors might be a safe alternative. BA test may be a useful tool in the study of the pathogenic mechanism of the cofactor phenomenon.
Influence of liquor ratio and amount of dyestuff in producing ultradeep black dyeing using mercerised and cationised cotton
Authors: Fu Sha , Farrell Matthew , Hauser Peter , Ankeny Mary
Published: March 2016

Cationised cotton allows the dyeing of cotton fabrics without salt and up to 100% anionic dye utilisation. The employment of cationised cotton in the dyeing of high depths of shades with reactive dyes holds marked potential for sustainable improvements through less dye consumption, decreased water usage, and zero salt utilisation, all while obtaining shade depths darker than possible with conventional reactive dyeings. This work builds upon previous work in obtaining ultradeep dyeings of cotton utilising cationised and mercerised cotton by investigating the effects of liquor ratio in dyeing and amount of dye applied. Surprisingly, for mercerised only cotton fabric, it was found that nearly equivalent depths of shade, as indicated by L*, were obtained, irrespective of the liquor ratio and the amount of CI Reactive Black 5 applied from 7% to 10% owf. However, the strengths of the dyeings, indicated by the K/S sum, show slight increases with increasing amounts of dye, but not when the liquor ratio is lowered. Similarly, for mercerised‐cationised cotton, the liquor ratio had a negligible effect on the depth of shade obtained, but increasing the amount of CI Reactive Black 5 resulted in an increase in shade depth and colour strength. Very deep shades with high colour strength were obtained with mercerised‐cationised cotton that were not obtainable with uncationised cotton, even at a very low liquor ratio and with a drastic increase in the amount of CI Reactive Black 5.
Seed release in a changing climate: initiation of movement increases spread of an invasive species under simulated climate warming
Authors: Teller Brittany J. , Zhang Rui , Shea Katriona
Published: March 2016

Aim

Reliable estimates of how species will move under future climatic conditions are lacking, and the ability of species to track suitable habitat under climate change is strongly predicated on dispersal. In wind‐dispersed plants, initiation of movement by maternal seed release characteristics can affect the ultimate shape of the dispersal kernel. If seed dispersal traits respond to altered local abiotic conditions induced by climate change during development, the effects could have major impacts on projections of future population spread.

Location

Central Pennsylvania, USA.

Methods

To quantify how seed release characteristics might be affected by climate change, we experimentally manipulated temperature in a field study of the wind‐dispersed, invasive plant Carduus nutans (Asteraceae). We quantified seed release in a series of trials conducted in a full‐size experimental wind tunnel, and we examined the effect of the probability of seed release on the projected population spread rate (c*).

Results

Experimental warming over the growing season significantly increased the probability of seed release in wind tunnel trials by 7%. When these data were incorporated into matrix integro‐differential equation models of population spread for this species, the measured increase in seed release, combined with previously reported increases in plant height, resulted in a projected increase in the population spread rate of C. nutans of 38% per year due to increased temperature.

Main conclusions

Ignoring altered seed release dynamics significantly underestimates the increase in potential spread rate by 11%. This increase could allow this species to reach suitable habitat more quickly than expected from existing models of population spread, and could require management timing to shift in the future. More generally, our results suggest that models of future distributions of other wind‐dispersed species that do not include information about species' dispersal responses to climate may incur significant errors and could result in poorly applied management or inadequate spatial risk assessment.
SIGNALING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE EFFECT OF ACCESS TO ELITE COLLEGES ON CHOICE OF MAJOR
Authors: Bostwick Valerie
Published: March 2016

I propose a model of postsecondary education in which major field of study can be used by individuals to signal productivity to employers. Under this signaling model, I show that geographic areas with high access to elite universities result in fewer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors among lower ability students at nonelite colleges. This is distinct from the prediction of a full information model in which access to elite schools should only affect high ability individuals directly. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Baccalaureate & Beyond survey, I find evidence that is consistent with the signaling model prediction, specifically a 2.3–3.7 percentage point or 16%–25% decrease in the probability of choosing a STEM major among lower ability students in areas with greater access to elite colleges. (JEL I21, J24)
PERSUADED UNDER PRESSURE: EVIDENCE FROM THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Authors: Lopez Michael J.
Published: March 2016

We exploit a natural experiment within each National Football League game, finding the first evidence in professional sports that referees succumb to the pressures of satisfying team personnel in the vicinity of possible violations. Using generalized additive models for binomial outcomes, we show that these sideline‐based differences in penalty rates, which are observed on common but influential penalties including pass interference and holding, peak near the centralized location of players and coaches on the sideline. With sizable interests in referee decisions, coaches and players often try to manipulate referee behavior with verbal and nonverbal communications; such actions appear to be persuasive. (JEL ZO, H3)
Hilar somatostatin interneuron loss reduces dentate gyrus inhibition in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Hofmann Gabrielle , Balgooyen Laura , Mattis Joanna , Deisseroth Karl , Buckmaster Paul S.
Published: March 2016

Objective

In patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, seizures usually start in the hippocampus, and dentate granule cells are hyperexcitable. Somatostatin interneurons are a major subpopulation of inhibitory neurons in the dentate gyrus, and many are lost in patients and animal models. However, surviving somatostatin interneurons sprout axon collaterals and form new synapses, so the net effect on granule cell inhibition remains unclear.

Methods

The present study uses optogenetics to activate hilar somatostatin interneurons and measure the inhibitory effect on dentate gyrus perforant path–evoked local field potential responses in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Results

In controls, light activation of hilar somatostatin interneurons inhibited evoked responses up to 40%. Epileptic pilocarpine‐treated mice exhibited loss of hilar somatostatin interneurons and less light‐induced inhibition of evoked responses.

Significance

These findings suggest that severe epilepsy‐related loss of hilar somatostatin interneurons can overwhelm the surviving interneurons' capacity to compensate by sprouting axon collaterals.
Multi‐level reranking approach for bug localization
Authors: Kılınç Deniz , Yücalar Fatih , Borandağ Emin , Aslan Ersin
Published: March 2016

Bug fixing has a key role in software quality evaluation. Bug fixing starts with the bug localization step, in which developers use textual bug information to find location of source codes which have the bug. Bug localization is a tedious and time consuming process. Information retrieval requires understanding the programme's goal, coding structure, programming logic and the relevant attributes of bug. Information retrieval (IR) based bug localization is a retrieval task, where bug reports and source files represent the queries and documents, respectively. In this paper, we propose BugCatcher, a newly developed bug localization method based on multi‐level re‐ranking IR technique. We evaluate BugCatcher on three open source projects with approximately 3400 bugs. Our experiments show that multi‐level reranking approach to bug localization is promising. Retrieval performance and accuracy of BugCatcher are better than current bug localization tools, and BugCatcher has the best Top N, Mean Average Precision (MAP) and Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR) values for all datasets.
A new cryptic cationic antimicrobial peptide from human apolipoprotein E with antibacterial activity and immunomodulatory effects on human cells
Authors: Pane Katia , Sgambati Valeria , Zanfardino Anna , Smaldone Giovanni , Cafaro Valeria , Angrisano Tiziana , Pedone Emilia , Di Gaetano Sonia , Capasso Domenica , Haney Evan F. , Izzo Viviana , Varcamonti Mario , Notomista Eugenio , Hancock Robert E.W. , Di Donato Alberto , Pizzo Elio
Published: March 2016

Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) possess fast and broad‐spectrum activity against both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria, as well as fungi. It has become increasingly evident that many AMPs, including those that derive from fragments of host proteins, are multifunctional and able to mediate various immunomodulatory functions and angiogenesis. Among these, synthetic apolipoprotein‐derived peptides are safe and well tolerated in humans and have emerged as promising candidates in the treatment of various inflammatory conditions. Here, we report the characterization of a new AMP corresponding to residues 133–150 of human apolipoprotein E. Our results show that this peptide, produced either by chemical synthesis or by recombinant techniques in Escherichia coli, possesses a broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity. As shown for several other AMPs, ApoE (133–150) is structured in the presence of TFE and of membrane‐mimicking agents, like SDS, or bacterial surface lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and an anionic polysaccharide, alginate, which mimics anionic capsular exo‐polysaccharides of several pathogenic microorganisms. Noteworthy, ApoE (133–150) is not toxic toward several human cell lines and triggers a significant innate immune response, assessed either as decreased expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines in differentiated THP‐1 monocytic cells or by the induction of chemokines released from PBMCs. This novel bioactive AMP also showed a significant anti‐inflammatory effect on human keratinocytes, suggesting its potential use as a model for designing new immunomodulatory therapeutics.
Target Information Asymmetry and Acquisition Price
Authors: Cheng Peter , Li Lin , Tong Wilson H.S.
Published: March 2016

This study investigates the effects of target information asymmetry in a takeover transaction. We find that a target with more information asymmetry receives a larger bid premium from the acquirer. We examine the response of the acquirer's investors to the bid to clarify whether the larger bid premium is an overpayment by the acquirer. We observe that the acquirer's investors respond more positively to the acquisition of an opaque target, indicating that the market recognizes the acquirer's valuation of the opaque target and agrees with the offer price. Our results indicate that corporate takeovers help to resolve asymmetric information in the capital market.
Comparison of QT Interval Readings in Normal Sinus Rhythm Between a Smartphone Heart Monitor and a 12‐Lead ECG for Healthy Volunteers and Inpatients Receiving Sotalol or Dofetilide
Authors: GARABELLI PAUL , STAVRAKIS STAVROS , ALBERT MICHAEL , KOOMSON EDWARD , PARWANI PURVI , CHOHAN JAWAD , SMITH LANDGRAVE , ALBERT DAVID , XIE RONGSHENG , XIE QIYING , REYNOLDS DWIGHT , PO SUNNY
Published: March 2016

QT Interval Readings With a Smartphone Heart Monitor

Introduction

A variety of medications ranging from antiarrhythmics to psychotropics, as well as conditions such as bradycardia, can prolong the QT interval, increasing the risk for life‐threatening arrhythmias. Monitoring the corrected QT interval (QTc) is therefore critical for patient safety. The recent development of smart phone heart monitors (SHM) may allow for easier QTc monitoring. We sought to evaluate the accuracy of an SHM for assessing the QTc, as compared to the standard 12‐lead ECG.

Methods and Results

We compared the QTc interval in lead‐I and lead‐II between an SHM and 12‐lead ECG. Healthy volunteers and hospitalized patients in sinus rhythm being loaded on dofetilide or sotalol were included. Manual and automatic measurements were studied. Across 99 healthy volunteers, the SHM QTc demonstrated good agreement (bias = 4 milliseconds, standard deviation of bias = 11 milliseconds) compared to the 12‐lead ECG, using the Bland–Altman method of agreement. Across all hospitalized patients, the SHM was capable of demonstrating QTc prolongation. Between the 12‐lead ECG and SHM, lead‐I measurements had reasonable agreement (bias = 3 milliseconds, standard deviation of bias = 46 milliseconds). A QTc of > 500 milliseconds was associated with a higher likelihood (OR = 12.0; 95% CI 1.5–111.4; P = 0.02) to not achieve perfect agreement.

Conclusion

The SHM is accurate in measuring QTc interval in sinus rhythm when compared to 12‐lead ECG in healthy volunteers. For patients receiving QT prolonging antiarrhythmics, SHM is capable of detecting QTc prolongation, and lead‐I of the SHM is most accurate in measuring the QTc if < 500 milliseconds.
A20 plays a critical role in the immunoregulatory function of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Dang Rui‐Jie , Yang Yan‐Mei , Zhang Lei , Cui Dian‐Chao , Hong Bangxing , Li Ping , Lin Qiuxia , Wang Yan , Wang Qi‐Yu , Xiao Fengjun , Mao Ning , Wang Changyong , Jiang Xiao‐Xia , Wen Ning
Published: March 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess an immunoregulatory capacity and are a therapeutic target for many inflammation‐related diseases. However, the detailed mechanisms of MSC‐mediated immunosuppression remain unclear. In this study, we provide new information to partly explain the molecular mechanisms of immunoregulation by MSCs. Specifically, we found that A20 expression was induced in MSCs by inflammatory cytokines. Knockdown of A20 in MSCs resulted in increased proliferation and reduced adipogenesis, and partly reversed the suppressive effect of MSCs on T cell proliferation in vitro and inhibited tumour growth in vivo. Mechanistic studies indicated that knockdown of A20 in MSCs inhibited activation of the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which potently promoted the production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and inhibited the production of interleukin (IL)‐10. Collectively, these data reveal a crucial role of A20 in regulating the immunomodulatory activities of MSCs by controlling the expression of TNF‐α and IL‐10 in an inflammatory environment. These findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of various inflammatory‐associated diseases, and are a new reference for the future development of treatments for such afflictions.
Effect of gingival inflammation on the inflammatory response in patients with idiopathic uveitis
Authors: Akcalı Aliye , Güven Yılmaz Suzan , Lappin David F. , Eğrilmez Sait , Buduneli Nurcan
Published: March 2016

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the levels of 11 oral species in plaque samples and cytokine levels in biofluid samples of patients with idiopathic uveitis (IU) and systemically healthy individuals (H) with or without gingival inflammation.

Material & Methods

Twenty‐one patients with IU (n = 21), and 22 systemically healthy individuals (n = 22) were enrolled in the study. Clinical periodontal measurements were recorded. Cytokine levels in the biofluid samples were determined by ELISA. Bacterial gene copy numbers were determined by qPCR on plaque microbial DNA preparations.

Results

According to two‐step cluster analysis, anova and t‐test: GCF, serum and salivary TNF‐α, IL‐17A, IL‐17A/E; GCF and serum IL‐6; salivary IL‐17F, and salivary and serum IL‐17A/F levels were higher in the IU group than the H group (p < 0.05). However, serum IL‐10 and IL‐17E levels were higher in the H group than the IU group (p < 0.05). A. actinomycetemcomitans, F. nucleatum, S. oralis, A. naeslundii, and V. dispar counts were higher in IU group compared to H group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Altered local and systemic cytokine profiles are associated with differences in the microbial plaque composition in IU. Anti‐inflammatory cytokines; IL‐10, IL‐17E are reduced in patients with IU and Th‐1 and Th‐17 driven inflammatory responses in biofluids are altered.
Venture Capital Investments in Europe and Portfolio Firms' Economic Performance: Independent Versus Corporate Investors
Authors: Colombo Massimo G. , Murtinu Samuele
Published: March 2016

Using a new European Commission‐sponsored longitudinal dataset—the VICO dataset—we assess the impact of independent (IVC) and corporate venture capital (CVC) investments on the economic performance of European high‐tech entrepreneurial firms during the period 1992–2010. After controlling for potential sources of endogeneity and selection bias, our results indicate that both IVC and CVC investments boost portfolio firms' economic performance. These effects are mostly due to an increase in real sales value. Moreover, the dynamics of the impact of VC investments on firms’ overall economic performance and its components—real sales value, real fixed assets, and real labor costs—differs depending on the type of investor. Finally, we do not detect any impact related to the syndication of investments by both IVC and CVC investors.
Non‐metric variation of the middle phalanges of the human toes (II–V): long/short types and their evolutionary significance
Authors: Le Minor Jean‐Marie , Mousson Jean‐François , de Mathelin Pierre , Bierry Guillaume
Published: March 2016

The human lateral toes are characterised by extreme reduction compared with other primates, and in particular other hominoids. Some phalangeal non‐metric variants have been well identified in humans, in particular: triphalangeal/biphalangeal patterns, and the presence/absence of phalangeal secondary centres of ossification. The purpose of the present study was to describe and analyse an original non‐metric variation of the middle phalanges of the lateral toes. The material consisted of 2541 foot radiographs that came from 2541 different European adult individuals. Two morphological types of the middle phalanx were defined as a simple binary trait: long type (L) and short type (S). In feet with a triphalangeal pattern in all lateral toes (1413 cases), a mediolateral increasing gradient was observed in the occurrence of type S: 8.1% in II; 30.7% in III; 68.4% in IV; and 99.1% in V. In feet with a biphalangeal pattern in one or more lateral toes (III–V; 1128 cases), type S occurred more frequently than in triphalangeal feet. Of the 30 theoretical arrangements of the L/S types in the lateral toes (II–V) in a complete foot, only 13 patterns were observed. Seven patterns represented 95.6% of the population: LLSS (20.9%), LLLS (17.1%), LSS (15.9%), SSS (14.5%), LSSS (12.7%), LLS (10.1%) and SSSS (4.4%). Type L can be interpreted as the primitive pattern (plesiomorphy), and type S as a derived pattern (apomorphy) that seems specific to the human species (i.e. autapomorphy). Within the specific evolution of the human foot in relation to the acquisition of constant erect posture and bipedalism, the short type of the middle phalanges can reasonably be considered as directly linked to the reduction of the lateral toes.
How action researchers use anxiety to facilitate change in health care
Authors: Evans Nicola , Hopkinson Jane
Published: March 2016

Aim

The aim of this paper is to report on the role of an action researcher in a study investigating the change process in a health service context where a new assessment clinic was developed to manage the excessive waiting list for that service.

Background

For effective organisational change in health, there is a suggestion that change agents need to be emotionally intelligent; recognising the emotional state of individuals, reconciling that with the organisational drivers and making an assessment of readiness for organisational change. Anxiety features throughout this literature and there is a suggestion that being aware of anxiety and managing anxiety is within the emotionally intelligent change agent's repertoire, but there is a gap in the literature that explains this relationship in detail.

Methods

Data were generated to investigate the discrete nature of the role of the action researcher during this organisational change that spanned two years, through three methods: participant observations in the field captured in field notes (n = 72); observations of team meetings that had been recorded and transcribed (n = 13); interviews with key informants pre‐ and postintervention (n = 14); a reflexive diary one document of 8920 words (n = 1).

Findings

The data illuminating the interaction between the action researcher and participants were synthesised into two broad themes: how the action researcher introduced anxiety into the system; how the action researcher facilitated the participants to tolerate change anxiety.

Discussion/relevance to clinical practice

The findings from this study can be applied in clinical practice where change in practice is planned. Part of the requirement of a change agent in the NHS might be to be sufficiently emotionally literate to understand anxiety in the participant system and manage it to effect change.
Fairness versus Efficiency in Public School Assignments
Authors: ÖZEK UMUT
Published: March 2016

A critical element in the sustainability of any public policy is the fair treatment of similar individuals. This paper introduces a new dimension of merit to evaluate public school assignment mechanisms based on this notion of equity. I show that there exists no assignment mechanism that is both constrained‐efficient and fair. The findings also reveal that all of the prominent assignment mechanisms discussed in the literature fail to satisfy this fairness criterion.
Classification of phytoplankton cells as live or dead using the vital stains fluorescein diacetate and 5‐chloromethylfluorescein diacetate
Authors: MacIntyre Hugh L. , Cullen John J.
Published: March 2016

Regulations for ballast water treatment specify limits on the concentrations of living cells in discharge water. The vital stains fluorescein diacetate (FDA) and 5‐chloromethylfluorescein diacetate (CMFDA) in combination have been recommended for use in verification of ballast water treatment technology. We tested the effectiveness of FDA and CMFDA, singly and in combination, in discriminating between living and heat‐killed populations of 24 species of phytoplankton from seven divisions, verifying with quantitative growth assays that uniformly live and dead populations were compared. The diagnostic signal, per‐cell fluorescence intensity, was measured by flow cytometry and alternate discriminatory thresholds were defined statistically from the frequency distributions of the dead or living cells. Species were clustered by staining patterns: for four species, the staining of live versus dead cells was distinct, and live‐dead classification was essentially error free. But overlap between the frequency distributions of living and heat‐killed cells in the other taxa led to unavoidable errors, well in excess of 20% in many. In 4 very weakly staining taxa, the mean fluorescence intensity in the heat‐killed cells was higher than that of the living cells, which is inconsistent with the assumptions of the method. Applying the criteria of ≤5% false negative plus ≤5% false positive errors, and no significant loss of cells due to staining, FDA and FDA+CMFDA gave acceptably accurate results for only 8–10 of 24 species (i.e., 33%–42%). CMFDA was the least effective stain and its addition to FDA did not improve the performance of FDA alone.
No objectively measured sleep disturbances in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Bergwerff Catharina E. , Luman Marjolein , Oosterlaan Jaap
Published: March 2016

The main goal of this study was to gain more insight into sleep disturbances in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, using objective measures of sleep quality and quantity. The evidence for sleep problems in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder thus far is inconsistent, which might be explained by confounding influences of comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems and low socio‐economic status. We therefore investigated the mediating and moderating role of these factors in the association between attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleep problems. To control for the effects of stimulant medication use, all participants were tested free of medication. Sixty‐three children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 61 typically developing children, aged 6–13 years, participated. Sleep was monitored for one to three school nights using actigraphy. Parent and teacher questionnaires assessed symptoms of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder, internalizing behaviour, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. Results showed no differences between the attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and typically developing group in any sleep parameter. Within the attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder group, severity of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms was not related to sleep quality or quantity. Moderation analyses in the attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder group showed an interaction effect between attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and internalizing and externalizing behaviour on total sleep time, time in bed and average sleep bout duration. The results of our study suggest that having attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder is not a risk factor for sleep problems. Internalizing and externalizing behaviour moderate the association between attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleep, indicating a complex interplay between psychiatric symptoms and sleep.
Sleep duration estimates of Canadian children and adolescents
Authors: Chaput Jean‐Philippe , Janssen Ian
Published: March 2016

The objective of this study was to provide contemporary sleep duration estimates of Canadian school‐aged children and adolescents and to determine the proportion adhering to the sleep duration recommendations. This study included 24 896 participants aged 10–17 years from the 2013/2014 Canadian Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children study (HBSC), a nationally representative cross‐sectional study. Bedtime and wake‐up times were reported by participants and their sleep duration was calculated. Participants were then classified as having a sleep duration that met the recommended range (9–11 h per night for 10–13‐year‐olds or 8–10 h per night for 14–17‐year‐olds), a sleep duration that was shorter than the recommended range or a sleep duration that was longer than the recommended range. An estimated 68% of children aged 10–13 years and 72% of adolescents aged 14–17 years sleep for the recommended amount per night when averaged across all days of the week. Short sleepers represent 31% of school‐aged children and 26% of adolescents. Long sleepers are rare (<2% overall). Children and adolescents sleep ~1 h more at weekends compared to weekdays. Approximately 5% of the participants typically went to bed after midnight on weekdays and 31% did so at weekends; these proportions reached 11 and 45%, respectively, within 16–17‐year‐olds. In general, differences in sleep times between boys and girls are small and not clinically significant. In conclusion, almost one‐third of Canadian children and adolescents sleep less than the recommended amount. Public health efforts should continue to monitor the sleep of Canadian children and adolescents and identify subgroups of the population more likely to be affected by insufficient sleep.
Perception of Difficulties Encountered in Eating Process from European Elderlies' Perspective
Authors: Laguna L. , Mingioni M. , Maitre I. , Vanwymelbeke V. , Pirttijärvi T. , Artigas M.G. , Kautola H. , Järvenpää E. , Mäenpää T. , Tahvonen R. , Grabska‐Kobylecka I. , Nowak D. , Chen J. , Sarkar A.
Published: March 2016

To maintain wellbeing, independence and nourishment of elderly population, one promising strategy is to provide home care by delivering food using “meals on wheels” (MoW) system. Even when the food is home‐delivered, the difficulties encountered by elderlies during the overall eating process can be a limiting factor. Hence, the objective of this self‐reported study was to explore the difficulty perception in the entire eating process from opening up the package, reheating, hand manipulation and oral processing of the food to bolus swallowing in 405 elderly consumers from five European countries (Finland, France, Poland, Spain and United Kingdom) with three different levels of dependency (category 1: participants living at home with help needed for food purchasing; category 2: participants living at home who need help for meal preparation or meal delivery; category 3: participants living in nursing homes/sheltered accommodation). Frequencies of responses and cross tabulation test were calculated for the difficulties perceived. Results show that the most difficult package to open was the cap irrespective of country or dependency levels (at P < 0.05). Although, glass was the most preferred packaging material, category (P = 0.034) and country (P = 0.001) had significant influence. Self‐feeding dependency was correlated with the eating difficulties perceived, category 1 participants did not perceive difficulties in the meal preparation and reported minimal difficulties in the hand manipulation and oral processing (<30%), whilst the difficulties perceived by categories 2 and 3 were significantly higher (∼60% of participants). The insights generated might be helpful for designing efficient MoW systems with appropriate user‐friendly features.

Practical Applications

Ageing population is in significant increment in Europe. For elderlies, who are unable to cook due to a various forms of functional incapability, “meals on wheels” (MoW) is a promising approach to extend their independence. In this work, difficulties in the eating process (opening of packaging, meal preparation and self‐feeding) of European elderly population with different levels of self‐eating independency have been investigated using self‐reporting from 405 participants. The most difficult packaging to open was the screw‐cap. Individuals who needed help for only food purchasing did not perceive difficulties in meal preparation and oral processing. Dental status was driving difficulty perception during biting and chewing. It is expected that with the insights generated in this study, MoW operators will improve the packaging in the meals; provide adaptive cutleries and design food with suitable texture ensuring optimum and easy oral processing.
Roots of the Peace Corps: Youth Volunteer Service in the 1950s
Authors: Smith E. Timothy
Published: March 2016

The creation of the Peace Corps is usually associated with President John F. Kennedy. However, before Kennedy articulated his vision of a “peace corps,” Senator Hubert Humphrey and Congressman Henry Reuss sought the establishment of such an organization. Humphrey and Reuss grew interested in the idea as they observed the work of voluntary organizations, created by religious groups, that sent young people into the world to carry out humanitarian projects. Working on a people‐to‐people basis, often in isolated locations in developing nations, these groups, to many observers, had a greater positive impact than the larger development projects carried out by the U.S. government. In particular, this article focuses on two of those organizations: the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) and International Voluntary Service (IVS). Most of the IVS projects were financed by the U.S. government under contract with the International Cooperation Administration. Little historical work has been done on either of the two organizations and this study is an in‐depth look at how the work of BVS and the IVS in the 1950s set the stage for the creation of the Peace Corps in the early 1960s.
Long‐term outcome of pediatric kidney transplantation: A single‐center experience from Greece
Authors: Papachristou Fotios , Stabouli Stella , Printza Nikoleta , Mitsioni Andromachi , Stefanidis Constantinos , Miserlis Grigorios , Dotis John , Kapogiannis Anastasios , Georgaki‐Angelaki Helen , Gkogka Chrysa , Kollios Konstantinos , Papanikolaou Vasilios
Published: March 2016

Pediatric kidney Tx has critically altered the outcome in ESRD pediatric patients. The aims of this study were to determine long‐term graft and patient survival in a homogeneous ethnic population. We reviewed the medical charts of pediatric kidney Tx performed between 1990 and 2012 in Greece. Seventy‐five kidney Txs were performed from LRD and 62 from DD. The 10‐ and 20‐yr graft survival was higher in LRD Tx compared with DD Tx. Both patient and graft survival at 10 and 20 yr after Tx were similar in LRD Tx from grandparents compared with parents (92.9% vs. 93.4% 20‐yr patient survival, 71.4% vs. 78.7% and 57.1% vs. 72.1%, 10‐ and 20‐yr graft survival, respectively). However, there was a decreasing tendency in LRD Tx rates in period 2001–2012 compared with period 1990–2000 (47.1% vs. 62.7%). Risk factors for poor five‐yr graft survival were DD Tx, and induction treatment with ALG compared with basiliximab, but their effect attenuated at 10 yr after Tx. In conclusion, Tx from LRD may offer efficient survival outcomes irrespective of donor age, suggesting that even older LRD could be an excellent option for the 1st kidney Tx in children and adolescents.