bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytoarchitecture of epithelial inflammatory infiltration indicates the aetiology of infectious keratitis
Authors: Smedowski Adrian , Tarnawska Dorota , Orski Michal , Wroblewska‐Czajka Ewa , Kaarniranta Kai , Aragona Pasquale , Wylegala Edward
Published: April 2017

Purpose

To analyse cytological features of corneal epithelium in infectious keratitis.

Methods

One hundred and eighteen patients (53 males and 65 females) diagnosed with acute stage of infectious keratitis (45 viral, 40 bacterial, 23 fungal, 10 Acanthamoeba keratitis) were included in study. We performed retrospective analysis of bright and blue‐light slit‐lamp photographs and in vivo corneal confocal microscopy scans of the corneal epithelium from five corneal regions (superior, inferior, temporal, nasal and central). Density, morphology of inflammatory cells and their relation to epithelial structures, as well as density of nerve fibres, were evaluated in relation to the keratitis aetiology.

Results

We characterized five morphological types of inflammatory cells forming infiltration. Cell and nerve fibre densities showed significant differences between groups, and the most intense inflammatory infiltration was associated with fungal then bacterial, viral and Acanthamoeba keratitis. Additionally, differences in aetiology‐specific ratio of round/non‐round inflammatory cells were observed.

Conclusion

Confocal microscopy analysis in infectious keratitis of various aetiologies revealed quantitative and qualitative differences in inflammatory cell infiltration expressed in different ratio of round/non‐round inflammatory cells. In vivo microscopic analysis of both the corneal epithelial layer cytopathology and the cytology of inflammatory infiltration provides a fast and specific differentiation of keratitis aetiology that may increase the accuracy in the selection of the initial treatment.
CYP1A1m1 and CYP2C9*2 and *3 polymorphism and risk to develop ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity and its severity
Authors: Singh HariOm , Lata Sonam , Nema Vijay , Samani Dharmesh , Ghate Manisha , Gangakhedkar Raman R.
Published: April 2017

Non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes. Variations in the genes encoding these enzymes may influence the activity of corresponding metabolizing enzymes. This study aimed at assessing association of CYP2C9*2 430C/T, CYP2C9*31075A/C, and CYP1A1m1 3801T/C polymorphism with risk to develop ARV Antiretroviral‐associated hepatotoxicity and its severity. In this case–control study, genotyping of CYP2C9*2, CYP2C9*3, and CYP1A1m1 genes was done in 34 HIV‐infected individuals with hepatotoxicity and 131 without hepatotoxicity, and 153 unrelated healthy individuals using PCR‐RFLP. CYP1A1m13801CC genotype was likely to be associated with severe ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 1.78, p = 0.70). CYP1A1m13801CC genotype and combined genotype TC + CC were likely to be associated with development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 2.57, p = 0.08; OR = 1.42, p = 0.17). CYP1A1m1 3801CC genotype among advanced and intermediate HIV disease stage was likely to be associated with advancement of disease (OR = 2.56, p = 0.77; OR = 2.37, p = 0.45). CYP2C9*31075AC genotype among alcohol users was likely to be associated with development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 1.67, p = 0.38). CYP1A1m1 3801TC genotype and combined genotype TC + CC among nevirapine users were likely to be associated with severe ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 3.68, p = 0.27; OR = 4.91, p = 0.13). Among those who received nevirapine, presence of CYP1A1m1 3801TC genotype was likely to be associated with increased risk of development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 1.50, p = 0.78). CYP1A1m1 3801TC, 3801CC, and CYP2C9*3 1075AC genotypes among combined alcohol + nevirapine users increased the risk of development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity (OR = 1.41, p = 0.53; OR = 1.49, p = 0.83; OR = 1.78, p = 0.35). In conclusion, individuals with CYP1A1m13801CC and 3801TC genotypes independently and in the presence of alcohol and nevirapine usage is likely to be associated with increased risk of development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity, its severity, and advancement of disease. CYP2C9*31075AC genotype with combined alcohol and nevirapine usage indicated a risk for development of ARV‐associated hepatotoxicity.
Urban or rural areas: which types of surrounding land use induce stronger edge effects on the functional traits of tropical forests plants?
Authors: Guerra Tassiane N.F. , Araújo Elcida L. , Sampaio Everardo V.S.B. , Ferraz Elba M.N.
Published: April 2017

Questions

Which types of land use adjacent to Atlantic Tropical Forests induce the strongest edge effects in terms of the functional responses of arboreal and understorey plants? Which functional traits respond to stress imposed by each land‐use type in the two forest layers?

Location

Full‐protection conservation areas in the metropolitan region of Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil.

Methods

We calculated the proportions of species and individuals of woody plants in terms of their functional traits (seed size, maximum height, dispersal syndrome and regeneration strategy) along the edge and in the interior of tropical Atlantic Forest remnants exposed to different degrees of adjacent urbanization along their borders (urban, suburban and rural) by establishing 120 sampling points (60 plots considering the arboreal components and 60 subplots considering woody understorey plants).The degree of urbanization adjacent to the edges of the remnant forests were determined by mapping the sites based on satellite images. The intensities of the edge effects on functional composition, and the differences in the functional traits were assessed using multivariate analysis.

Results

Functional composition along the edges and within the forest interiors of remnants with the highest densities of urban areas around them demonstrated the greatest variability of both the arboreal and understorey components. The arboreal component of the forest sites adjacent to rural areas (intense agricultural activities) tended to demonstrate intermediate intensity edge effects. Species showing shade intolerance, with smaller maximum heights, producing small seeds and with abiotic dispersion were present in high proportions in forests bordering heavily urbanized areas. Biotic dispersal predominated in the arboreal component of the rural remnant.

Conclusions

From a functional point of view, the forest with the most highly urbanized border is more impacted by edge effects than forests bordering on suburban or rural areas. Nonetheless, in an urban–rural gradient, intense agricultural activity was observed to create intermediate pressure in terms of the intensities of its edge effects. These edge effects differentially impact the functional traits of the arboreal and understorey components, influencing different traits, depending on the type of border.
An unintentional pro‐Black bias in judgement among educators
Authors: Axt Jordan R.
Published: April 2017

Background

Previous work indicates widespread preference for White over Black people in attitudes and behaviour. However, there are instances where Black people receive preferential treatment over White people.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate whether a sample of education professionals would favour Black or White applicants to an academic honour society, and the extent to which any biases were related to conscious intentions.

Sample

Participants were education professionals (N = 618; 75.5% White) who completed an online study.

Methods

Participants completed a hypothetical admissions task where they evaluated more and less qualified applicants for an academic honour society, and applicants were either White or Black. Participants also completed measures of implicit and explicit racial attitudes.

Results

Educational professionals at all levels showed a pro‐Black bias in judgement, adopting a lower acceptance criterion for Black compared to White applicants, replicating previous work using online and undergraduate samples. The bias was present among participants reporting they did not want to be biased or believed they were unbiased, suggesting that bias arose without conscious awareness or intention. Bias was also weakly but reliably related to racial attitudes.

Conclusions

These findings are consistent with the notion that educators automatically hold lower standards for Black versus White applicants. While education professionals likely have experience evaluating students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, these professionals were, nevertheless, unable to eliminate the impact of race in their decision‐making.
The Extent of Rent Sharing along the Wage Distribution
Authors: Matano Alessia , Naticchioni Paolo
Published: April 2017

The relation between rent sharing and wages has generally been evaluated on average wages. This article uses a unique employer–employee panel database to investigate the extent of rent sharing along the wage distribution in Italy. We apply quantile regression techniques and control for national level bargaining, unobserved worker and firm heterogeneity and endogeneity. Our findings show that the extent of rent sharing decreases along the wage distribution, suggesting that unskilled workers benefit most from firms’ rents. By applying quantile regressions by occupational categories, we show that the decreasing pattern is mainly driven by blue collar workers, while estimates for white collars are higher and basically constant along the wage distribution. We also provide evidence that unions might represent one of the drivers of our findings.
Oxytocin and opioid addiction revisited: old drug, new applications
Authors: Zanos Panos , Georgiou Polymnia , Weber Carol , Robinson Fiona , Kouimtsidis Christos , Niforooshan Ramin , Bailey Alexis
Published: April 2017

Opioid addiction has devastating health and socio‐economic consequences, and current pharmacotherapy is limited and often accompanied by side effects, thus novel treatment is warranted. Traditionally, the neurohypophyseal peptide oxytocin (OT) is known for its effects on mediating reward, social affiliation and bonding, stress and learning and memory. There is now strong evidence that OT is a possible candidate for the treatment of drug addiction and depression‐addiction co‐morbidities. This review summarizes and critically discusses the preclinical evidence surrounding the consequences of pharmacological manipulation of the oxytocinergic system on opioid addiction‐related processes, as well as the effects of opioids on the OT system at different stages of the addiction cycle. The mechanisms underlying the effects of OT on opioid addiction, including OT' interaction with the monoaminergic, glutamatergic, opioidergic systems and its effect on the amygdala, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and on memory consolidation of traumatic memories, are also reviewed. We also review clinical evidence on the effects of intranasal OT administration on opioid‐dependent individuals and discuss the therapeutic potential along with the limitations that accompany OT‐based pharmacotherapies. Review of these studies clearly indicates that the OT system is profoundly affected by opioid use and abstinence and points towards the OT system as an important target for developing pharmacotherapies for the treatment of opioid addiction and co‐existing affective disorders, thereby preventing relapse. Therefore, there is a clear need for clinical studies assessing the efficacy of OT‐based pharmacotherapies in opioid addiction.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Areas of Opioid Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.14/issuetoc
Syntheses and structure–membrane active antimicrobial activity relationship of alkylamino‐modified glucose, maltooligosaccharide, and amylose
Authors: Yamamura Hatsuo , Mabuchi Takahiro , Ishida Tomoki , Miyagawa Atsushi
Published: April 2017

Antimicrobial alkylamine‐modified sugars were prepared. Microwave‐assisted click reaction efficiently achieved poly‐functionalization of oligo‐ and polysaccharides. The sugars exhibited a unique relationship of their bacterial membrane permeabilization and antimicrobial activity with the number of functional groups and the structure of the molecular scaffold. It shows that the assembly of the functional groups is necessary for being antimicrobial. The amylose derivatives also exhibited synergy to minimize the necessary dose of conventional antibiotics and increase their antimicrobial potency.
Reliability of Eustachian tube function measurements in a hypobaric and hyperbaric pressure chamber
Authors: Meyer M.F. , Jansen S. , Mordkovich O. , Hüttenbrink K.‐B. , Beutner D.
Published: April 2017

Objectives

Measurement of the Eustachian tube (ET) function is a challenge. The demand for a precise and meaningful diagnostic tool increases—especially because more and more operative therapies are being offered without objective evidence. The measurement of the ET function by continuous impedance recording in a pressure chamber is an established method, although the reliability of the measurements is still unclear.

Methods

Twenty‐five participants (50 ears) were exposed to phases of compression and decompression in a hypo‐ and hyperbaric pressure chamber. The ET function reflecting parameters—ET opening pressure (ETOP), ET opening duration (ETOD) and ET opening frequency (ETOF)—were determined under exactly the same preconditions three times in a row. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland and Altman plot were used to assess test‐retest reliability.

Results

ICCs revealed a high correlation for ETOP and ETOF in phases of decompression (passive equalisation) as well as ETOD and ETOP in phases of compression (active induced equalisation). Very high correlation could be shown for ETOD in decompression and ETOF in compression phases. The Bland and Altman graphs could show that measurements provide results within a 95 % confidence interval in compression and decompression phases.

Conclusions

We conclude that measurements in a pressure chamber are a very valuable tool in terms of estimating the ET opening and closing function. Measurements show some variance comparing participants, but provide reliable results within a 95 % confidence interval in retest. This study is the basis for enabling efficacy measurements of ET treatment modalities.
Modeling the High‐Frequency FX Market: An Agent‐Based Approach
Authors: Aloud Monira , Fasli Maria , Tsang Edward , Dupuis Alexander , Olsen Richard
Published: April 2017

The development of computational intelligence‐based strategies for electronic markets has been the focus of intense research. To be able to design efficient and effective automated trading strategies, one first needs to understand the workings of the market, the strategies that traders use, and their interactions as well as the patterns emerging as a result of these interactions. In this article, we develop an agent‐based model of the foreign exchange (FX) market, which is the market for the buying and selling of currencies. Our agent‐based model of the FX market comprises heterogeneous trading agents that employ a strategy that identifies and responds to periodic patterns in the price time series. We use the agent‐based model of the FX market to undertake a systematic exploration of its constituent elements and their impact on the stylized facts (statistical patterns) of transactions data. This enables us to identify a set of sufficient conditions that result in the emergence of the stylized facts similarly to the real market data, and formulate a model that closely approximates the stylized facts. We use a unique high‐frequency data set of historical transactions data that enables us to run multiple simulation runs and validate our approach and draw comparisons and conclusions for each market setting.
The Right to Decide and the Effective Control Over Small Business Lending Decisions: A Look into Loan Officers’ Real Authority
Authors: Benvenuti Michele , Casolaro Luca , Del Prete Silvia , Mistrulli Paolo Emilio
Published: April 2017

A vast literature has emphasised that small banks are at a comparative advantage in lending to small businesses. In this paper, we show that, in addition to bank size, loan officers’ authority affects banks’ specialisation in small business lending. By using a unique dataset based on a survey of Italian banks, we find that loan officers’ authority has a key role in explaining bank specialisation in small business lending. In particular, banks that delegate more decision‐making power to their loan officers are more willing to lend to small firms than other banks. We use several proxies for measuring loan officers’ authority: their discretion in loan approval and in setting loan interest rates, the amount of money up to which they are allowed to lend autonomously, their turnover, their compensation schemes and the kind of information (soft vs. hard information) used both for screening and monitoring purposes.
When Paradigms Meet: Interacting Perspectives on Evaluation in the Non‐Profit Sector
Authors: Neesham Cristina , McCormick Leanne , Greenwood Michelle
Published: April 2017

This study examines a public debate in Australia, arising from a national government report, around how social contribution in the nonprofit sector should be assessed. Guided by several meta‐perspectives on evaluation, we identify connections between foundational assumptions and normative positions on evaluation espoused by non‐profit organizations (NPOs), and examine the ways in which the inter‐paradigmatic context of the non‐profit sector contributes to the emergence of NPOs’ different normative positions on evaluation. We conclude that particular paradigmatic orientations of NPOs (positivism, interpretivism, constructivism) lead to particular perspectives on how NPOs should engage with alternative paradigms (monism, impartial pluralism, radical pluralism).
Inflammasome activation by nucleic acids and nucleosomes in sterile inflammation… or is it sterile?
Authors: Lupfer Christopher R. , Rodriguez Angeline , Kanneganti Thirumala‐Devi
Published: April 2017

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that form in the cytoplasm in response to cellular damage and cytosolic pathogen‐associated molecules during infection. These complexes play important roles in initiating innate and adaptive immune responses to infectious disease. In addition, inflammasomes are now recognized as important mediators of sterile inflammation in various autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. Interestingly, microbiota and infection play critical roles in the development of ‘sterile inflammation’. Herein, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the role for inflammasomes in nucleic acid‐, nucleosome‐, and histone‐driven sterile inflammation and discuss knowledge gaps and areas of potential future research.
Climate and geochemistry as drivers of eucalypt diversification in Australia
Authors: Bui E. N. , Thornhill A. H. , González‐Orozco C. E. , Knerr N. , Miller J. T.
Published: April 2017

Eucalypts cover most of Australia. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of climate and geochemistry to the distribution and diversity of eucalypts. Using geostatistics, we estimate major element concentrations, pH, and electrical conductivity at sites where eucalypts have been recorded. We compare the median predicted geochemistry and reported substrate for individual species that appear associated with extreme conditions; this provides a partial evaluation of the predictions. We generate a site‐by‐species matrix by aggregating observations to the centroids of 100‐km‐wide grid cells, calculate diversity indices, and use numerical ecology methods (ordination, variation partitioning) to investigate the ecology of eucalypts and their response to climatic and geochemical gradients. We find that β‐diversity coincides with variations in climatic and geochemical patterns. Climate and geochemistry together account for less than half of the variation in eucalypt species assemblages across Australia but for greater than 80% in areas of high species richness. Climate is more important than geochemistry in explaining eucalypts species distribution and change in assemblages across Australia as a whole but there are correlations between the two sets of environmental variables. Many individual eucalypt species and entire taxonomic sections (Aromatica, Longistylus of subgenus Eucalyptus, Dumaria, and Liberivalvae of subgenus Symphyomyrtus) have distributions affected strongly by geochemistry. We conclude that eucalypt diversity is driven by steep geochemical gradients that have arisen as climate patterns have fluctuated over Australia over the Cenozoic, generally aridifying since the Miocene. The diversification of eucalypts across Australia is thus an excellent example of co‐evolution of landscapes and biota in space and time and challenges accepted notions of macroecology.
Ferric pyrophosphate citrate as an iron replacement agent for patients receiving hemodialysis
Authors: Fishbane Steven , Shah Hitesh H.
Published: April 2017

Treatment of anemia remains an integral component in the care of patients with end stage kidney disease receiving dialysis. Currently, both erythropoiesis stimulating agents and iron replacement agents remain important anemia management strategies for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Ferric pyrophosphate citrate (FPC) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2015 as an iron replacement product in adult patients receiving long‐term maintenance HD. FPC is administered to patients on HD through the dialysate. Multicenter randomized, placebo‐controlled phase three clinical studies (CRUISE 1 and 2) have found dialysate FPC to maintain hemoglobin level and iron balance in patients receiving chronic HD. Adverse events were similar in both the dialysate FPC‐treated and placebo groups. Another study showed a significant reduction in the prescribed erythropoietin‐stimulating agents dose at the end of treatment in the dialysate FPC‐treated group compared with placebo. These studies have shown that dialysate FPC is efficacious and well tolerated. In this article, we review clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of FPC and also propose a protocol for iron replacement in HD units where dialysate FPC is to be used.
Liver transplantation for metastatic liver tumors
Authors: Eguchi Susumu , Hara Takanobu , Takatsuki Mitsuhisa
Published: April 2017

Liver transplantation for metastatic neuroendocrine tumor in the liver used to be the main reason for liver transplantation for metastatic liver tumor. It is reported that liver transplantation in selected patients with non‐resectable metastatic neuroendocrine tumor in the liver had favorable outcomes equivalent to liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently, liver transplantation for colorectal liver metastasis has attracted attention. According to the SECA study in Oslo, liver transplantation for non‐resectable colorectal liver metastasis had a high rate of recurrence but a favorable prognosis. Further discussion on patient selection, attempts at immunosuppressive therapy, and combination with chemotherapy and treatment at the time of relapse are required in order to improve the outcomes of liver transplantation for metastatic liver tumor.
The histology of grain caryopses for nutrient location: a comparative study of six cereals
Authors: Panato Anna , Antonini Elena , Bortolotti Federica , Ninfali Paolino
Published: April 2017

In this study, we compare the histological localisation of phenols and β‐glucan in six cereal cross sections. The concentrations of β‐glucan and total phenols in whole grain flour (WGF) were also investigated to provide their nutrient content in grams. Cross sections of durum, soft, einkorn and emmer wheat, oats and barley were stained with Azan Trichrome (ATH) and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) to characterise the morphology and cytohistology of the living cells in the aleurone, subaleurone and germ, as well as the a‐nucleated cells in the starchy endosperm. Phenol localisation in the outer layers was performed by fluorescence microscopy due to the presence of ferulic acid. β‐Glucan, examined with Calcofluor White staining, was found to be located primarily in the subaleurone layer and starchy endosperm of oats and barley. Our findings shed light on why WGF nutritional value is markedly reduced when the bran is removed through milling.
Influence of freezing, lyophilisation and air‐drying on the total monomeric anthocyanins, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity of selected berries
Authors: Sadowska Katarzyna , Andrzejewska Jadwiga , Klóska Łukasz
Published: April 2017

Fresh berries are a rich source of antioxidants. The choice of a method for preserving these fruits determines, among other things, keeping their antioxidant capacity. The aim of this study was to estimate the contents of monomeric anthocyanins and vitamin C and to assess the antioxidant capacity of the fruit of black chokeberry, black elder, common bilberry, thornless blackberry and raspberry depending on the method of preservation in the process of freezing, lyophilisation and air‐drying. In fruits frozen at −18 °C as compared with the fresh fruits, losses of anthocyanins and vitamin C of 10% and 14%, respectively, were found. During lyophilisation and air‐drying, losses of anthocyanins as compared with fresh fruits accounted for 82% and 94%, respectively, of vitamin C 84% and 89%. Regardless of the preservation method, chokeberry was characterised by the richest resource of anthocyanins and the highest antioxidant capacity, followed by black elder.
Parental beliefs about portion size, not children's own beliefs, predict child BMI
Authors: Potter C. , Ferriday D. , Griggs R. L. , Hamilton‐Shield J. P. , Rogers P. J. , Brunstrom J. M.
Published: April 2017

Background

Increases in portion size are thought by many to promote obesity in children. However, this relationship remains unclear. Here, we explore the extent to which a child's BMI is predicted both by parental beliefs about their child's ideal and maximum portion size and/or by the child's own beliefs.

Methods

Parent–child (5–11 years) dyads (N = 217) were recruited from a randomized controlled trial (n = 69) and an interactive science centre (n = 148). For a range of main meals, parents estimated their child's ‘ideal’ and ‘maximum tolerated’ portions. Children completed the same tasks.

Results

An association was found between parents' beliefs about their child's ideal (β = .34, p < .001) and maximum tolerated (β = .30, p < .001) portions, and their child's BMI. By contrast, children's self‐reported ideal (β = .02, p = .718) and maximum tolerated (β = −.09, p = .214) portions did not predict their BMI. With increasing child BMI, parents' estimations aligned more closely with their child's own selected portions.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that when a parent selects a smaller portion for their child than their child self‐selects, then the child is less likely to be obese. Therefore, public health measures to prevent obesity might include instructions to parents on appropriate portions for young children.
The determinants of transnational entrepreneurship and transnational ties’ dynamics among immigrant entrepreneurs in ICT sector in Italy
Authors: Brzozowski Jan , Cucculelli Marco , Surdej Aleksander
Published: April 2017

This article contributes to the rapidly growing literature on transnational immigrant entrepreneurship by analyzing the determinants of transnational entrepreneurial engagement among immigrants in the ICT sector in Italy. We investigate which factors influence the rise or decline of transnational entrepreneurial involvement with a home country. Our results indicate that longer residence in Italy is associated with smaller propensity to become a transnational entrepreneur. Moreover, we find that the type of transnational ties and the network size have a substantial impact on the dynamics of transnational entrepreneurial engagement.
Meeting the needs? Perceived support of a nurse‐led lifestyle programme for young adults with mental illness in a primary health‐care setting
Authors: Rönngren Ylva , Björk Annette , Kristiansen Lisbeth , Haage David , Enmarker Ingela , Audulv Åsa
Published: April 2017

Being a young adult with mental illness challenges all aspects of health, including an increased risk for developing lifestyle‐related diseases. There is a lack of lifestyle programmes in primary health care that target physical, mental, and social needs for young adults with mental illness. The aim of the present study was to describe the experiences of young adults with mental illness receiving support from a nurse‐led lifestyle programme, and how this support was related to their life context, including challenges and coping strategies. Two focus groups and six individual interviews were performed with 13 young adults (16–25 years), and analysed using a qualitative content analysis. The findings showed that the young adults experienced challenges in their daily lives, including psychiatric symptoms, lack of social understanding, and loneliness. The study indicated that the programme could support lifestyle habits with its components of supportive interpersonal relationships, awareness of coping strategies, understanding of health and illness, and cognitive support (e.g. schedules and reminders). However, the programme could not meet everyone's needs for new social relationships or more comprehensive support. Even so, this nurse‐led programme provides health information‐management strategies that could easily be integrated in a primary health‐care setting.
Extreme Value Distributions
Authors: Eastoe Emma
Published: April 2017

Emma Eastoe introduces a family of distributions that help statisticians model the extreme highs and lows of the natural world, and much more besides
Treatment recidivism in adolescents with mental illness: A focused applied medical ethnography
Authors: Ekwemalor Chukwudi C. , Rozmus Cathy L. , Engebretson Joan C. , Marcus Marianne T. , Casarez Rebecca L. , Harper Andrew R.
Published: April 2017

Problem

Treatment recidivism, described as frequent unplanned relapse readmissions, is a national problem predominant in adolescents with mental illness. Because the main triggers of treatment recidivism are not fully understood, the purpose of this study was to explore treatment recidivism (i) to better understand treatment recidivism from the perspectives of recidivist adolescents with mental illness, (ii) to describe major factors that contribute to treatment recidivism and how best to minimize them from the perspectives of these adolescents, and (iii) to describe their interaction with the medical culture.

Methods

A focused applied medical ethnography was used to study 16 purposively selected adolescents. Interviews were conducted together with unobtrusive unit observation of the participants and collection of demographic and clinical information.

Findings

The participants were nearly unanimous in identifying the “additional stressors” of problematic parental relations and school bullying as the main triggers of treatment recidivism over and above their “routine stressors” of adolescence and mental illness. They had mixed perceptions of treatment recidivism and described their interaction with the medical culture as positive.

Conclusion

Further research is needed to determine the impact of parental relations and school bullying on recidivism in adolescents with mental illness.
A comparative assessment of adipose‐derived stem cells from subcutaneous and visceral fat as a potential cell source for knee osteoarthritis treatment
Authors: Tang Yan , Pan Zhang‐yi , Zou Ying , He Yi , Yang Peng‐yuan , Tang Qi‐qun , Yin Feng
Published: April 2017

The intra‐articular injection of adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) is a novel potential therapy for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). However, the efficacy of ASCs from different regions of the body remains unknown. This study investigated whether ASCs from subcutaneous or visceral adipose tissue provide the same improvement of OA. Mouse and human subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue were excised for ASC isolation. Morphology, proliferation, surface markers and adipocyte differentiation of subcutaneous ASCs (S‐ASCs) and visceral ASCs (V‐ASCs) were analysed. A surgically induced rat model of OA was established, and 4 weeks after the operation, S‐ASCs, V‐ASCs or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS, control) were injected into the articular cavity. Histology, immunohistochemistry and gene expression analyses were performed 6 weeks after ASC injection. The ability of ASCs to differentiate into chondrocytes was assessed by in vitro chondrogenesis, and the immunosuppressive activity of ASCs was evaluated by co‐culturing with macrophages. The proliferation of V‐ASCs was significantly greater than that of S‐ASCs, but S‐ASCs had the greater adipogenic capacity than V‐ASCs. In addition, the infracted cartilage treated with S‐ASCs showed significantly greater improvement than cartilage treated with PBS or V‐ASCs. Moreover, S‐ASCs showed better chondrogenic potential and immunosuppression in vitro. Subcutaneous adipose tissue is an effective cell source for cell therapy of OA as it promotes stem cell differentiation into chondrocytes and inhibits immunological reactions.
The evolution of strategic male mating effort in an information transfer framework
Authors: Engqvist L. , Taborsky M.
Published: April 2017

Sperm competition theory predicts that males should use cues indicating the risk and intensity of sperm competition to tailor their sperm investment accordingly. Rival males are an important source of social information regarding sperm competition risk. However, revealing such information may not be in the rival males' interest. Here, we use a theoretical approach based on informed and uninformed games to investigate when information transfer about sperm competition risk to competitors is beneficial for a male, and when it is not. The results show that signalling to potential future mates that a female has already mated is beneficial when the signalling male has a sperm competition disadvantage, whereas it is unfavourable when the signaller has an advantage. The reason for this counterintuitive result is that the rival males' optimal response is to reduce sperm investment when the signaller has a disadvantage and, conversely, to increase investment when the signaller has an advantage. Furthermore, we analysed scenarios where males use alternative reproductive tactics. In this situation, signalling the awareness of sperm competition risk rarely pays; instead, it is beneficial to maintain an information advantage. Thus, it may be beneficial for bourgeois males to accept cuckoldry instead of revealing their sperm competition awareness to reproductive parasites. These results provide new insight into the evolution of communication between rivals in the context of sperm competition.
Potential Value of Impaired Cognition in Stroke Prediction: A U.K. Population‐Based Study
Authors: Stephan Blossom C. M. , Richardson Kathryn , Savva George M. , Matthews Fiona E. , Brayne Carol , Hachinski Vladimir
Published: April 2017

Objectives

To determine whether the association between impaired cognition and greater risk of incident stroke is also observed when cognitive impairment is defined using different criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Design

Prospective cohort study with 10 years of follow‐up.

Setting

Large multicentre study in the United Kingdom.

Participants

Individuals (aged 64–105) from the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function and Ageing Study (N = 13,004). From this, a subsample of 2,640 individuals was selected based on age, center, and cognitive ability to undergo a detailed cognitive assessment.

Measurements

Information on sociodemographic characteristics, health, cognition, and functional ability was collected in an interview. The Geriatric Mental State Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy and the Cambridge Cognitive Examination were used to determine cognitive status. Stroke incidence was derived from self‐report, informant report, and death certificates. Participants were divided into no, mild, moderate, and severe cognitive impairment according to their baseline Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. MCI criteria were used to classify persons into four groups: no cognitive impairment, MCI, severe impairment (i.e. other cognitive impairment no dementia: OCIND) and dementia.

Results

Over 10 years, 703 incident strokes occurred. Lower MMSE score at baseline was associated with greater risk of incident stroke. When cognitive status was determined according to MCI criteria, those with severe impairment (odds ratio (OR) = 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.0–2.2) and dementia (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.6–3.4) had a significantly greater risk of stroke than those with no cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

Criteria for MCI, defined using MMSE scores or clinical criteria, can capture individuals at greater stroke risk. The results highlight the need to focus on stroke risk in individuals even with MCI.
CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS: A REVIEW OF FERTILITY AND CAUSALITY
Authors: Clarke Damian
Published: April 2017

Childbearing decisions are not made in isolation. They are taken in concert with decisions regarding work, marriage, health investments and stocks, as well as many other observable and non‐observable considerations. Drawing causal inferences regarding the effect of additional children on family outcomes is complicated by these endogenous factors. This paper lays out the issues involved in estimating the effect of additional child births on family outcomes, and the assumptions underlying the range of estimators and methodologies proposed in the economic literature. The common pitfalls of these estimators are discussed, as well as their potential to bias our interpretation of the effect additional births have on children and parents, both in the existing literature and in future work in the face of changing patterns of childbearing and child‐rearing.
Socio‐Emotional Wealth Separation and Decision‐Making Quality in Family Firm TMTs: The Moderating Role of Psychological Safety
Authors: Vandekerkhof Pieter , Steijvers Tensie , Hendriks Walter , Voordeckers Wim
Published: April 2017

Socio‐emotional wealth (SEW), defined as the firm's non‐financial aspects meeting the family's affective needs, has become the dominant paradigm in family firm research. Recent debate acknowledges potential SEW heterogeneity within family firms. This study considers the effect of polarizing opinions on SEW preservation among TMT members as a source of separation in the TMT. More concretely, we study the effect of SEW separation on TMT decision‐making quality, while taking into consideration behavioural integration as a team process and psychological safety as a team context. Based on a unique multiple respondent sample of 300 managers from 55 Belgian private family firms, we find that behavioural integration mediates the negative effect of SEW separation on TMT decision‐making quality. In addition, we find that the negative effect of SEW separation on behavioural integration is mitigated by psychological safety and even turns into a positive effect at high levels of psychological safety.
Renewable energy innovations and sustainability transition: How relevant are spatial spillovers?
Authors: Noseleit Florian
Published: April 2017

In the societal challenge to switch to renewable energy, innovation has become an ever‐increasing critical determinant. However, while sustainability transition is a global challenge, diffusion and adoption of innovation tends to be uneven in space and unequal access may cause substantial heterogeneity in energy transition. This research analyzes how domestic and foreign innovation activities in the renewable energy sector influence energy transition over time. Empirical testing shows that a country's domestic innovation activity impacts renewable electricity generation capacity sooner than foreign technological innovations. I document that there are substantial barriers to substitute foreign technologies for domestic innovation efforts in the short run but also observe that foreign technologies have a stronger impact after some years. These findings have implications for cross‐border coordination of governmental innovation support and complementary policy instruments that aim at increasing adoption speed across borders.
Agreement between concern about autism spectrum disorder at the time of referral and diagnosis, and factors associated with agreement
Authors: Lo Bee H , Klopper Felicity , Barnes Elizabeth H , Williams Katrina
Published: April 2017

Aim

This study examined the level of agreement between referral reason and diagnostic outcome for pre‐school aged children showing developmental delays and differences. In particular, the level of agreement when there was concern about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was investigated.

Methods

Clinical records for children (n = 677) assessed for developmental concerns at a multidisciplinary assessment clinic in Sydney, Australia, were examined. Referral reason and diagnostic outcome were compared. Referral sources and factors including age, developmental level and language functioning, were explored for potential association with the consistency between referral reason and diagnosis.

Results

Approximately 30% of children referred for developmental assessment with ASD concern were not diagnosed with ASD. Agreement between referral reason and diagnosis was similar regardless of referral source and child age. Of children where diagnostic outcome was discordant with referral reason, 24% had delayed language. Variability in cognitive or developmental profiles was common (64%), regardless of diagnostic outcome.

Conclusions

Referral for ASD diagnostic assessments in the cases where ASD is not the primary cause for a child's difficulties increases pressure on assessment services, can delay access to ASD‐specific intervention services for children who do have ASD, and can contribute to parent anxiety unnecessarily. The current evidence that a substantial minority of children were referred for ASD diagnostic assessments when ASD was not the primary cause for the difficulties emphasises the value of adopting a developmental differences framework, focusing on dimensions of behaviour and functioning, rather than an autism‐specific service structure.
Radiographic and computed tomographic appearance of tracheal collapse with axial rotation in four dogs
Authors: Heng H. G. , Lim C. K. , Gutierrez‐Crespo B. , Guptill L. F.
Published: April 2017

Tracheal collapse with axial rotation was diagnosed in four dogs. Radiographs showed increased tracheal dorsoventral height at the caudal cervical and thoracic inlet with and apparent intraluminal soft tissue opacity, mimicking an intraluminal tracheal foreign body. Computed tomography confirmed dorsoventral tracheal collapse with axial rotation in all dogs. Short‐term outcome with medical treatment of all dogs was excellent.
Higher disappearance rate of anti‐HBs in Taiwanese freshers neonatally vaccinated with recombinant yeast hepatitis B vaccine
Authors: Hsu Shu‐Hua , Chih An‐Hsuan , Lee Yi‐Chin , Huang Kuo‐Chin , Jan Chyi‐Feng
Published: April 2017

Background & Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the long‐term efficacy of infant recombinant yeast hepatitis B vaccine (Recombinant group) and infant plasma‐derived one (Plasma group) in Taiwanese freshers.

Methods

Recruited were a total of 38 377 freshmen who underwent university entrance health examinations from 2003 to 2015. Subjects were assigned into two groups—plasma type and recombinant type, according to the national neonatal hepatitis B immunization program. The seroprevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen, and antibody against hepatitis B core antigen in each group and gender were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the efficacy of two groups.

Results

The HBsAg‐positive rates in the plasma group and recombinant group were 1.5% and 0.3% respectively. The anti‐HBs positive rates were 43.6% and 30.9%. The hepatitis B viral natural infection rates were 3.6% and 1.3%. Taking those who were born in July 1986‐April 1992 as baseline group after adjustment for gender and age at hepatitis B markers checkup time, the efficacy of recombinant group in decreasing HBsAg positive rate, and decreasing hepatitis B virus natural infection rate was 71.0% (95% C.I.: 59.0‐79.0%, P<.001) and 65.0% (95% C.I. 58.0‐71.0%, P<.001) respectively. On the contrary, the seroprevalence of anti‐HBs positive rate in recombinant group was 39.0% (95% C.I.: 36.0‐42.0%, P<.001) lower than that of plasma group. (P<.001).

Conclusion

Higher disappearance rate of anti‐HBs was noted in recombinant group than in plasma group when the subjects reached their youth and young adulthood in Taiwan.
Reflections on a Funhouse Mirror—Racist Violence, the Protection of Privilege, and the Limits of Tolerance
Authors: Lovell George I.
Published: April 2017

Jeannine Bell's Hate Thy Neighbor: Move In Violence and the Persistence of Racial Segregation in American Housing provides an account of racist violence as a tool for maintaining housing segregation that challenges perceptions of rising tolerance and demonstrates the importance of understanding racism as a structural feature of social organization. Bell shows how some perpetrators of move in violence deploy claims about “property values” as a defense against charges of racism. The use of such claims starkly illustrates how colorblind racism allows assertions of racial privilege to resonate as neutral articulations of rational self-interest. The desire to defend racial privileges persists as a significant practical barrier to racial equality even when tolerance increases.
A Faction of One: Revisiting Madison's Notes on the Constitutional Convention
Authors: Magliocca Gerard N.
Published: April 2017

This essay on Madison's Hand: Revising the Constitutional Convention, Mary Bilder's revisionist account (2016) of James Madison's Notes on the Constitutional Convention argues that her central thesis, which is that Madison substantially revised the Notes long after the Convention adjourned, is groundbreaking but will have no effect on constitutional law. Madison's Hand is groundbreaking because the book yields many powerful insights into the deliberations of the Convention and into the evolution of Madison's thought. Nevertheless, constitutional practice in the Supreme Court and among elite lawyers is so divorced from the Notes that even a dramatic shift in their interpretation will not disturb the evolution of judicial doctrine applying the text written in 1787.